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A pressure group, Concerned Abia Citizens (CAC), has called on security forces to investigate recent comments made by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State that suggest threats to the lives of individuals.
The group, a collection Abian professionals resident in Abuja, known for its advocacy of human rights and social justice, expressed concern about the dangerous rhetoric being employed by the PDP, which has the potential to incite violence and intimidation against other political parties ahead of the March 18 governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the group called on security operatives to take the necessary measures to prevent any violence or harm from occurring, stating that the safety and security of Abia citizens should be a top priority for law enforcement agencies.
The group cited a comment made by Managing Director of the Abia State Signage Agency (ABSA), Mr. Tony Otuonye, a PDP chieftain and an ardent supporter of Mr. Okey Ahaiwe, the governorship candidate of the Party, during a campaign, which endangered the life of other candidates.
According to the group, Mr. Otunoye said he ‘will sacrifice anybody that stands in the way of PDP’s victory’.
The spokesperson of the group, Honest Munachiso Offor, said there have been countless occasions where the campaign billboards of opposition parties had been pulled down, despite paying to the State Signage Agency for signage permit.
The group clears that the mission was not backed by any political party but for the law abiding Abians to exercise their franchise in a free and credible atmosphere without intimidation.
The statement read:
“We are CONCERNED ABIA CITIZENS resident in Abuja. We have followed very closely the growing atmosphere of intolerance, bigotry, brigandage and threats to life, which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has unleashed on the opposition parties in the state since the February 25th election that saw a comprehensive rejection of the party by Ndi Abia.
We are worried that if not checked, PDP’ desperation and dastardly acts, are capable of truncating peace and derailing democracy in Abia state. In the weeks leading up to the last election, PDP members have been spreading hate filled rhetoric and whipping up clannish sentiments to divide voters and cause disaffection in a bid to set one region of the state against another region.
There have been countless occasions where the campaign billboards of opposition parties have been pulled down and in fact, the State Signage Agency made it a duty to remove billboards of other political parties even after collecting huge sums as signage permit.
The desperation of PDP gave way for unbridled paranoia when the party was roundly defeated and rejected by Ndi Abia in the Presidential and National Assembly election. The PDP suffered its worst defeat in history in that election and having realized that they have completely lost the trust of the people, the party has now decided to throw caution to the wind and manufacture every trick in the book of infamy including violence and mindless rigging, to undermine the integrity of the forthcoming governorship election.
One of such plans was the hurried removal of Transition Chairmen of select Local Government Areas who were only just recently appointed and replacement of same with pliable political warlords who they believe can implement their rigging plan. Whilst we are privy to clandestine meetings and attempts to corrupt electoral officers and security agencies, the clearest manifestation of PDP’s desperation and their evil plot, was revealed by the Managing Director of the Abia State Signage Agency (ABSA), Mr. Tony Otuonye.
Mr. Otuonye, a ranking member of the PDP and a staunch supporter of Mr. Okey Ahaiwe, the governorship candidate of PDP, vowed that they will sacrifice anybody that stands in the way of PDP’s victory. He threatened that they (and we believe he was speaking for his party PDP), will behead voters and cut off their organs if that is what it will take for PDP to win.
We want the general public to recall that this is typical of PDP’s political violent gimmicks. In 2015 after the Court of Appeal rightly annulled the fraudulent election that brought Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu to office, the PDP sponsored thugs to carry coffins with charms across Aba to intimidate and cow citizens into accepting the illegitimate process that returned Ikpeazu as governor.
We wish to state as follows:
1. That Nigeria is a democratic state and citizens including those living in Abia state, must be allowed to exercise their franchise in line with their conscience and preferences without let or hinderance.
2. That the latest threat coming from PDP hirelings, is a ploy to intimidate, harass and cow voters into staying away from the electoral process so they can have the opportunity to rig the election.
3. That in the event of violence, breakdown of law and order or breach of public peace of any kind on the election day, the People’s Democratic Party should be held responsible.
4. That the security agencies are hereby placed on notice and must take every necessary action to prevent PDP and their hirelings from carrying out their threats to kills voters, suppress voters or subvert the will of Nde Abia.
5. That Abians are ready to pass a verdict on the decades of PDP misrule in Abia on the 18th of March 2023 and no gimmick will deter or intimidate Abians from once again roundly rejecting and ejecting PDP from the governance of our dear state.
6. Every attempt to subvert the wishes and mandate of Ndi Abia, will be vehemently resisted using every peaceful and lawful means. We therefore urge citizens to come out en-masse and vote their conscience without fear of intimidation or harassment.”
