The Abia State Government, ABSG, has called for the interrogation of the opposition’s allegations against Governor Alex Otti.
Briefing newsmen in his office Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the governor, Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said, “The attention of Abia state government has been drawn to videos arising from two press briefings conducted by individuals suspected to have been hired by opposition elements who were roundly defeated in the last governorship election in Abia state”.
Ekeoma said, “In the first press conference, a group of few young men had alleged that Governor Alex Otti was using Abia Funds to sponsor the litigation of the LP Presidential candidate in the last Presidential Election, Mr. Peter Obi.
“In the second press conference, another group of strange fellows alleged that the four-month-old government of Dr Alex Otti is sponsoring the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to cause terror in the state”.
He lamented, “They went further to call for the governorship election judgement billed for 6th October 2023 not to be delivered in Abia because the Abia State Government had allegedly concluded plans to intimidate the Justices to deliver judgement in favour of Governor Alex Otti or alternatively would ensure that the Judges would be killed if they fail to deliver judgement in favour of the Governor”.
According to him, “Because these allegations are weighty and have the propensity to cause disaffection, insecurity, breakdown of law and order, and even endanger the lives and property of innocent citizens”.
Therefore, Ekeoma pleaded, “That security agency should invite the young men who organised these press conferences to come and throw more light on their allegations to enable law enforcement agents to carry out a thorough investigation that could lead to the arrest of the culprits.
“That Governor Alex Otti’s position as Governor of Abia State is a product of a nationally celebrated Governorship election victory; we consider it a demeaning insult and provocative blackmail for a group of greedy hatchet men with zero stake in the Abia project to sit behind the microphone and spew gibberish statements that lower the office of the governor of Abia State while insulting the sensibilities of our people who have heaved a sigh of relief since the emergence of Governor Alex Otti.
“The hate, anger, bitterness and the trademark of terror contained in the press conference’s text and on the accusers’ facial expression showed a despicable design to subject the government and people of Abia state to public opprobrium.
“The two opposition parties that are in court against Governor Otti and who are suspected to be the brains behind these allegations know very well that they have terrible cases and that their suits would be thrown into the thrash bin on the 6th of October, hence the resort to this panic and desperate strategy of deceit and destabilisation. They should be exposed and punished for choosing the perfidious path that seeks to advance their selfish interest against the genuine interest of millions of innocent Abians”.
Ekeoma further stated, “We know why they are after Dr Alex Otti. It is because of the coming judgement and such allegations endanger the generality of Abians”, and pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to instruct the country’s security agencies “to do their job by fishing out the culprits”.
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