Ebonyi State governor David Umahi yesterday called on the senator representing Ebonyi North senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Sam Egwu to discontinue with his reelection bid in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.
Governor Umahi made the call during an APC local government area rally at the headquarters of Ohaukwu local government area, Ezzamgbo.
Umahi decried the situation where a major beneficiary of equity and justice like Senator Egwu would be advocating return of power to the South after eight years, insisting that such would destabilise the political equation and peace of the state.
“I am ashamed that someone from Ebonyi North would appear in a poster with someone from my place who is aspiring to replace me after eight years.
“Having started the journey from the North, equity demands that it should return back to the North after the Central and South have taken their turns,” he said.
Governor Umahi urged the people to reciprocate the gesture of the Izzi people by voting for the governorship and senatorial candidates of the party in the forthcoming general election.
The governorship candidate of the APC, Hon Francis Nwifuru appealed to the people to reward the support of the Izzi people over the years by voting for him and the APC senatorial candidate in the election.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as unfortunate and regrettable the statement credited to Umahi and noted that his quest to become the political godfather in the state will led him to his political extinction.
A chieftain of the party in the state, Hon Friday Agbo said Umahi in his quest to assume the position of the political godfather of the state ensured that no person contesting any political position in the state or that is holding any position is older than him.
“The Senate is for matured minds, intellectuals and those who will not be swallowed at the Red chambers. It is not for political thugs, so bringing people that has not held any elective position to represent a senatorial zone is just laughable.
“Those Governor Umahi are parading to go to the Senate are yet to represent a state constituency. They are yet to attain any political position. All he wants are those that will be at the National Assembly and come to his house every morning to help wash his cars and clean his compounds in Abuja,” he said.
Ebonyi State government has said the interim report by the Ebonyi State Police Command did not Indict the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Stanley Emegha and the APC candidate for Afikpo North/Afikpo South federal constituency, Hon Eni Uduma Chima in the killings and destruction of property in Ekoli Edda and Amosu Edda in Afikpo South local government area.
A police officer, two youths and a seven-month pregnant wife of an Ebubeagu commander were all brutally murdered during the political crisis that engulfed the community a few weeks ago.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the crisis followed a political supremacy battle between the APC chairman, Chief Emegha and the House of Representatives candidate, Hon Eni in the Ekoli Edda community which led to the clash.
Briefing journalists shortly after the State Executive Council meeting at the Old Government House Abakaliki, the state commissioner of information and state orientation, Barr. Uchenna Orji, said that the governor, Chief David Umahi inaugurated a committee to broker peace between Hon Eni Uduma and Chief Stanley Emegha and their loyalists.
Orji said that Emegha and Eni were exonerated based on the confession made by suspects arrested in connection with the alleged killings and destruction of valuable properties by Ebonyi State police command.
According to Orji, “the committee was charged to resolve the conflict between two brothers of Ekoli Edda, and institute a permanent spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation among brothers and sisters of Ekoli Edda.
“It was noted that the findings or the interim reports by Ebonyi police revealed that those suspects who were arrested and in police custody, that their statements did not indict any of these two people.
“I have not said that the police have concluded their report and that has nothing to do with the state government,” he stated.
