The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odoh, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over the withdrawal of security operatives attached to him by the State Commissioner of Police, CP Sunday Faleye, less than 72 hours to the governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the State.
Prof. Odoh, in a statement personally signed by him and made available to LEADERSHIP, said that his life has been in danger and declared the withdrawal of the Police operatives attached to him as strange and unjustifiable.
The Police had on Monday declared Odoh wanted over the murder of the traditional ruler of Umuezeokaha community, Ezza North local government area of the State, HRH Igboke Ewa.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the State Police Command withdrew the Police operatives attached to Prof. Odoh on Tuesday night.
“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raise the alarm and draw the attention of all men of goodwill that the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command has withdrawn all officers officially assigned to me.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,” he said.
The APGA governorship candidate maintained that the Ebonyi State Police Command has 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.”
Prof. Odoh added that following the withdrawal of the officers attached to his residence in Abakaliki and his native 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.
“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.”
