LP commends arrest of Abia govt official inciting election violence

Labour Party in Abia State, yesterday, commended security agencies, especially the Department of State Services (DSS) over what it called “the manhunt, swift arrest and detention” of one Anthony Otuonye over a video in which he threatened violence in Saturday’s governorship and state Assembly elections.

The Coordinator of the Alex Otti Governorship Campaign Council, Iheanacho Obioma, who spoke to journalists in his office at Umuahia, said that Otuonye, identified as the General Manager of Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSAA), had, few days ago, threatened to unleash violence and kill Abians, who might want to vote against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Saturday’s election.

He described the arrest of Otuonye and some of his allies as timely, as it would help avert destabilisation of the state and destruction of life and property, which, he noted, Otuonye “had concluded plans to execute on behalf of Abia State government and the PDP.”
Obioma said: “The Otti Campaign Council and Labour Party strongly believe that if Otuonye, who serves as the General Manager of ABSAA, is not enjoying the support and protection of the Okezie Ikpeazu-led government and the PDP candidate, Okey Ahiwe, he would not have had the audacity to appear in public glare to issue such cruel and vicious threat against innocent citizens.”

The party urged security agencies to ensure Otuonye’s accomplices and other agents of violence and destruction working for PDP, who are either at large or preparing violent attacks in the state, are declared wanted, tracked down and brought to book to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements in the state working for the ruling party.

However, the state PDP Vice Chairman/ Acting Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah, had on Monday, in a statement, dissociated the party, its governorship candidate, Ahiwe, and the state PDP leader, Ikpeazu, from the said threat and viral video, saying that those involved in it are on their own and not agents of the party.