Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Labour Party governorship flag bearer in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has applauded the Department of State Services, DSS, for quizzing the Director, Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA), Tony Otuonye, for threatening to kill anybody that would not vote for the governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Okey Ahiwe.
Otuonye, had in a viral video last week, spewed murderous threats against any electorate that would vote against Ahiwe.
Vexed by the disturbing video which is generating wide condemnation, the DSS arrested Otuonye but granted him Administrative bail after on Monday after interrogations.
Meanwhile, the DSS Director, Mr Friday Onuche, told our Correspondent that Otuonye was not yet off the hook as he was to be reporting daily at the DSS office all through the election period.
Impressed by the swift response of the DSS, Otti called on the Secret Police to also go after Otuonye’s accomplices to rid the state of troublemakers ahead of the governorship and house of assembly elections.
The LP candidate in a statement by his Campaign Council, alleged that Otuonye had also been taking undue advantage of his office to frustrate the opposition from hoisting their campaign bill boards through exorbitant charges.
The statement signed by the State Coordinator of his Campaign Council, Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, urged security agencies not to hesitate to go after anyone no matter how highly placed, found to be engaging in any activity capable of plunging the state into chaos.
Otti insisted that anybody putting other lives in jeopardy should be treated as a criminal.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read in part: “We commend security agencies, especially, Department of State Services (DSS) over the manhunt and swift arrest of one Anthony Otuonye, a self acclaimed Killer who did a video a few days ago threatening to unleash violence and kill Abians who might want to come out to cast their votes against PDP governorship candidate.
“Labour Party and the Alex Otti Campaign Council note that the arrest and detention of Mr. Otuonye and some of his allies was timely as it would help avert destabilisation of the state and destruction of lives and property.
“The Otti Campaign Council and Labour Party strongly believe that if Otuonye who serves as the General Manager of Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency was not enjoying the support and protection of the Okezie Ikpeazu-led Government, he would not have had the audacity to appear in public glare in day time to issue such cruel and vicious threat against innocent citizens.
“We are aware that Mr. Otuonye has not only been unleashing violence against innocent citizens through the illegal removal or destruction of campaign billboards belonging to opposition parties…
“We wish to urge Security agencies to ensure that Mr. Otuonye’s accomplices and other agents of violence and destruction working for the PDP, and who are either at large or preparing violent attacks in different parts of the state, are declared wanted, tracked down and brought to book so as to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements working for the PDP, for the purpose of setting the state on fire over their electoral woes.
“We wish to call on Security agencies to beam their searchlights on the Okezie Ikpeazu-led Government and hold governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the PDP and other State Government political actors responsible should there be breakdown of law and order in Abia state, before, during and after the governorship election.”
Otti further urged security agents “to deploy personnel to different LGAs where the PDP is allegedly plotting to deploy imported criminal elements on the eve of the election for the purpose of causing anarchy, which they hope would enable them escape the humiliation being prepared for them by the Abia electorate.”
