The Governorship Candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Benard Odoh has said that his life is in danger over withdrawal of all officers attached to him by Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police.
In a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, Odoh said Governor David Nweze Umahi, Ebonyi State House of Assembly Speaker, Ogbonnaya Nwifuru and the CP should be held responsible for any harm that befalls on him as they hope to wrap up their campaigns ahead of Saturday’s polls.
He noted that he hasn’t committed any crime other than seeking the mandate of Ebonyians to pilot their affairs.
According to him, “About 72 hours to Saturday’s Governorship and State’s Houses of Assembly elections in Ebonyi State and a few hours after Police strangely and unjustifiably declared me wanted, I wish to formally raise the alarm and draw the attention of all men of goodwill that the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command has withdrawn all officers officially assigned to me.”
“Recall that I had recently reacted to a very strange action of the State’s Police Command which declared me wanted alongside 9 others over a murder allegation that I have already approached a Court of competent jurisdiction and have consistently maintained that I know nothing about. Recall also that the Ebonyi State government had severally passed a ‘vote of no confidence’ on the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Faleye Olaleye accusing it of being compromised by the opposition in Ebonyi State.”
” Recall further that a few hours after the gruesome murder of my monarch, Ezeogo Christopher Igboke Ewa in cold blood at his Umuezeokoha palace, the Ebonyi State government was the first to raise an alarm and accuse me pointedly of masterminding the killing. The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Hon. Uchenna Orji and the State’s Publicity Secretary for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Simbad Chidi Ogbuatu both made direct and indirect accusations on my person geared not only at tarnishing my soaring image and reputation but also frustrating our campaigns.”
“Since then, the Ebonyi State Police Command has now become more of the devil’s advocate- a very willing tool in the hands of a conspicuously desperate Umahi-led APC administration in Ebonyi to harass, intimidate, coerce and arrest my supporters with myself being hunted extra-judicially. From an invitation to see the Command’s authorities on Wednesday last week to desperate plots to lay ambush and arrest me whenever and wherever I am seen the same Tuesday the invitation was extended, myself, teeming supporters and the rest of concerned Ebonyians have been aghast as to why the government’s restlessness to rope me into a murder mess is becoming more fiendish when I should ordinarily be doing the last lap of reach outs to the Ebonyi electorates who have freely and willingly received and welcomed our campaign gospels.”
“Doubtless the fact that some members of the deceased monarch ‘s family have made a statement in the Police mentioning me, the fact I wish to reiterate here for the benefit of the reading public is that I have already approached a High Court in suit No: HOW/194/2023 dated 3rd day of March, 2023 and secured an order restraining the Police and other security agencies from harassing or arresting me until the matter brought before the Court is determined.”
” Both the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security heads have been duly served with the Court order and the former upon being served with it ordered that all actions in the matter be stopped but the CP yet carried on with the matter as though he’s serving other interests against that of his boss and superiors.”
I therefore wish to posit as follows:
- That all the officers attached to me, including the ones from the State’s Police Command were officially assigned by the IGP. As a matter of fact, the AIG in Portharcourt who assigned some of his men to me following IGP’s approval is irked about the fact that the CP unilaterally withdrew all officers attached to me without recourse to him or the IGP.
- That following the withdrawal of officers from my residence in Abakaliki and my Umuezeokoha village, I suspect very strongly that both Governor Umahi, the APC Governorship candidate and Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and the Police may be up for a game to perhaps plant dangerous weapons within my vicinity and then frame me up in order to get a substantive evidence.
- That I raise this alarm with a strong sense of responsibility as the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in the Ebonyi 2023 Governorship candidate calling on the IGP, the DSS and sister security agencies to protect me, my immediate and extended families from the devious plots of the Ebonyi State government. I have been attacked seven times with not less than 14 of my supporters and close staff unjustly killed. Yet, no single arrest or serious investigations have been made by the police despite several petitions.
- That Governor Umahi, Speaker Nwifuru and the CP should be held responsible for any harm that befalls me as we hope to wrap up our campaigns ahead of Saturday’s polls. I haven’t committed any crime other than seeking the mandate of Ebonyians to pilot their affairs.
- I finally encourage my teeming supporters to remain calm, peaceful, law-abiding and very RESOLUTE in their uncommon determination to vote and defend their votes for us at the polls this Saturday.
May God almighty bless and keep us all!”
Background Of The Story
Our correspondent had reported that the Police on Monday declared Prof. Odoh and 9 others wanted.
Odoh, however, described the police statement declaring him ‘WANTED’ as Strange, and Subjudice.
In a statement made available to our on Monday, Odoh said the allegations against him in the said publication are all false in every material fact, malicious, baseless, spurious and should be totally discountenanced by the general public.
Odoh and nine others were declared wanted on Monday over the alleged murder of a monarch, Igbokwe Ewa.
Some unknown Gunmen allegedly killed the monarch last Monday in his country home.
He was, until his death, the traditional ruler of the Umu-Ezekoha Community in the Ezza North Local Government Area.
Following his death last week, the All Progressive Congress (APC), which is the ruling party in the state, had accused Odoh and his supporters of having a hand in the monarch’s death.
But Odoh denied the allegations, stating that the monarch, who hails from the same local government as him, was like a father to him.
Odoh in a statement personally signed by him said that the persons listed in the said letter as being declared wanted are APGA supporters/members from my Umuezeokaoha community just as APGA has supporters in all villages and polling units across the 13 LGAs of Ebonyi state.
The statement reads in parts,
“My attention has been drawn to a publication by the Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, in a letter; AZ: 5200/EBS/DFA/PPRO/VOL.8/249 dated 06/03/2023 and I wish to state and react as follows:
- That while I again, sympathize with the family over this very painful, unfortunate and tragic loss, I reiterate my earlier positions in the media that I know nothing, absolutely NOTHING about the assassination of my Traditional Ruler, HRH. Ezeogo Igboke Ewa of Umuezeokaoha in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State and the Chairman of Ezza Traditional Rulers.
- That the allegations against me in the said publication are all false in every material fact, malicious, baseless, spurious and should be totally discountenanced by the general public. For the Nigerian law still presumes an accused person innocent until proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction.
- That the persons listed in the said letter as being declared wanted are APGA supporters/members from my Umuezeokaoha community just as APGA has supporters in all villages and polling units across the 13 LGAs of Ebonyi state.
- That I don’t have other inter- personnel relationships or dealings with them except that being an urbane and accomplished figure, some of them look up to me as their role model and mentor
- That I have already obtained an Order from the High Court, Owerri in No: HOW/194/2023 dated 3rd day of March, 2023 restraining the police and other security agencies from harassing or arresting me until the matter brought before the court is determined by the court.
- That the IGP and other security agencies have been served with the court order accordingly.
- The IG upon being served the said order stopped all actions in the matter in respect to the Court but the CP Ebonyi State who is under the IG continued to take further action in the matter contrary to the order of Court.
- Further, that the Family of Late Eze filed a suit in Suit Number HBA/47MC/2023 alleged that the CP Ebonyi State has compromised by failing to arrest me and Ebonyi High Court has not determined the matter yet CP Ebonyi State continued to take steps over the matter that is subjudice.
- That I am not on the run and cannot be said to be on the run for any reason whatsoever but pursuing and seeking the resolution of the false and misleading allegations brought against me through legal and peaceful means.
- That the allegations are politically-motivated and intended to undermine my chances of winning this Saturday’s Governorship election in Ebonyi state which I am the leading frontliner.
- That, I, Professor Benard Ifeanyi Odoh therefore, urge my supporters across Ebonyi State and beyond to remain calm, focused and resolute in our efforts to win this coming Gubernatorial election and liberate our people from the prevailing constant harassment and intimidations.
- I finally pray that the Lord Almighty will continue to grant us the wisdom, grace and ability to manage this critical and crucial moment of our campaigns and stir us to a resounding victory!
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