By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Isuokoma community, in Onicha Local government Area of Ebonyi State, has sent a powerful petition to President Muhammadu Buhari over an alleged plot to kill their son, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, by those allegedly sponsored by Ebonyi State government.

Odii is the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 11, 2023 election in the state.

The gubernatorial candidate's kinsmen alleged that there are plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government in Ebony State to assassinate him.

In a petition signed by Mr. John Nnanna Njoku, President-General of Isuokoma, Mr. Sunday Igne, the Youth President of Isuokoma, Chief Tony Anoke, Diaspora leader of Isuokoma, Chief Augustine Chigbo Okoro, Coordinator of Isuokoma West Africa and Barr. Obasi Livinus Onu, Abakaliki Branch Chairman of Isu Okoma, a copy of which was made available to NewsExpress on Monday.

According to the petition, the community called on President Buhari, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, the Department of State Services, DSS, Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Director of DSS, and other security agencies to without further delay, come to their rescue “in order to save High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and the entire people of Isuokoma from the destructive tendencies of Governor David Umahi.”

The community said they view with much concern, trepidation, and agony “the worrisome persistent verbal attacks and threats to the life of our son, High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Nweze Umahi.”

The community stated that Governor Umahi had at different political rallies, glaringly demonstrated crass hatred and animosity against Odii following his aspiration and subsequent nomination as the PDP governorship candidate in the forthcoming election in Ebonyi State.

“We had ignored and taken with a pinch of salt the unprovoked dehumanizing jibes aimed at Dr. Odii by Engr. Umahi. We continually dismiss Governor Umahi’s aspersions on the personality of Chief Odii as the ranting and whining of an uncomfortable player in a tough contest.

“There is no doubt that the recent outburst of Governor Umahi against security chiefs and agencies in Ebonyi State, in which he threatened to block and attack the convoys of opposition candidates in the State, was clearly targeted at our son, High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii.

“We are aware that Engr. Umahi has, in his characteristic uncivil manner, commanded the security agencies in the State to withdraw the security personnel attached to opposition candidates.

“We see this as the Governor’s desperate attempt to clear his way to have an easy ride to kill our son, High Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii. This latest show of acrimony jolted us to consciousness to give the Governor’s machination and treachery the deserved serious attention, consideration, and publicity.

“It is no longer news that Governor Dave Umahi formed the Ebubeagu militia which he has utilized as a political tool to cow opposition to submission in order to perpetuate his unpopular political influence in Ebonyi State,” they claimed.

Odii’s kinsmen rued the number of lives that have been lost since Umahi became the governor of the State, noting that it was a matter of great concern.

According to them, “from the build-up to Governor Umahi’s first tenure in office as Governor till now, murder is a recurring decimal in Ebonyi State.

“Many people were gruesomely murdered in 2022 in Isuokoma, including the Palace Secretary, Chief Odii Nwachima; the President-General of Isuokoma Town Union, Dr. Ifeanyi Anthony Orji; Alhaji Iyioji, an Islamic cleric from Isuokoma; Chief Augustine Nwadibia, the owner of Galaxy Hotel at Nkwoagu Isu market; among others.

“Mr. Henry Ezeani, one of the security aides to High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, was also murdered in the bloody attack at Galaxy Hotel Nkwoagu Isu. The king of Isu community, HRH Ambrose Ogbu and Mrs. Juliana Uzor were also kidnapped in 2022 and they are still missing many months after their abduction.”

They alleged that: “these murders and cases of kidnapping happened in Isuokoma when it became clear that our son, High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii was waxing strong enough to clinch the governorship ticket of the PDP.

“It is also worrisome that the Engr. Umahi-led government of Ebonyi State has not made any effort to investigate the murders and cases of Kidnapping in Isuokoma in 2022, especially the murder of Dr. Ifeanyi Anthony Orji, who was the President-General of Isuokoma Town Union, and HRH Ambrose Ogbu, the king of Isu Community. This is disturbing.

“We are aware that when three persons were recently murdered at Ekoli Edda, Governor Umahi quickly instituted a commission of inquiry to investigate the murders.

“The Governor also mobilized the security agencies that arrested the alleged masterminds of the Ekoli Edda murders, including the Ebonyi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a House of Representatives candidate of the Governor’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Why is the case of Isuokoma different?”

While noting that Odii was undeserving of the treatment he was getting from the governor, having supported him (Umahi) both in 2015 and 2019 elections, they maintained that “the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) gives every eligible citizen of Nigeria the opportunity for political participation.”

“The political space in Nigeria is wide and large enough for anybody to roll, without inflicting pain on other persons.

“It will be primitive and gross crudity for Governor Umahi to see the governorship ambition of Chief Odii as a reason to subject Isuokoma to untold hardship.

“Governor Umahi’s anti-Isu posturing is seriously threatening the good neighbourliness between Isu and Uburu. We, therefore, call on the Uburu community to urgently call their son, Engr. Dave Umahi, to order.

“Governor Dave Umahi’s attacks on High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii smacks of political desperation, hypocrisy and jealousy.

“We have never negotiated and do not intend to negotiate with Governor Umahi to support Chief Odii’s governorship ambition. Engr. Umahi is free to constitutionally pursue his political ambition and support any candidate of his choice within the ambit of the law.

“He should, therefore, allow Dr. Odii to legitimately pursue his political ambition. Enough of this hatred! We can no longer condone it. We cannot keep quiet to allow Governor Umahi to destroy our illustrious son, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, who is the leading candidate in the 2023 governorship race in Ebonyi State.

“This is a desperate attempt to consign Isuokoma to the political waste bin,” they declared.

When contacted on the allegations, the Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Media and Publicity, Mr. Chooks Oko, told News Express that he was in a meeting, promising to call back.

He didn't call back as promised at the time of filing this report.

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