A former Commissioner for Information and State Orientation in Ebonyi, Chief Abia Onyike, on Saturday, explained what led to the face-off with the state’s governor, Dave Umahi.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki and titled:
“Harassment, Intimidation and Isolation/Quarantine: Governor Umahi’s Tactical Maneuvers To Silence Me From Criticizing His Government,” the ex-commissioner alleged that Umahi and his agents were after him because he criticized the governor’s leadership style.
Governor Umahi had a few weeks ago directed the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) to compel Onyike to undergo compulsory COVID-19 test.
The governor also ordered the DSS official to isolate/quarantine the ex-commissioner for 14 days for allegedly breaching the COVID-19 protocol on inter-state travels.
In the statement, Onyike also alleged that Umahi had employed all subterranean tactics to muzzle him and stop him from constructive criticism of the administration.
He, however, vowed to resist any form of harassment, intimidation or persecution in his quest to get the state government to do the right thing.
The statement read: “I want to seize this opportunity to draw the attention of the public to the incessant intimidation and harrassment which I have been subjected to by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi and his agents.
“Umahi has vowed to employ all sinister measures to silence and prevent me from being critical of his anti-people administration.
“On Tuesday, June 9, I was part of a three-man panel of discussants invited by 92.5 Dream FM Radio in Enugu.
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“The live radio programme was to analyse the issue of leadership and democracy in the South-East geopolitical zone, as part of the celebration of 21 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria.
“In the one-hour programme, I took time to dissect and analyse Governor Umahi’s administration in Ebonyi.
”I accused the government of being nepotic, as the governor had converted the state to a private family dynasty.
“After the programme, I returned to Abakaliki and was confronted the same day by Mr. Austin Umahi, the governor’s younger brother who is the National Vice Chairman of PDP.
“He sent a message to my Whatsapp and threw caution to the winds by calling me names amidst other unprintable and derogatory comments, and sought to know why I criticised his brother’s government.
“Then, Thursday, June 11, Umahi used his live broadcast to issue an order that the security agencies should compel me to be isolated and quarantined.
“I wish to state categorically that the present step by Umahi is a calculated witch-hunt aimed at curtailing my fundamental human rights and freedom of speech.
“ It was based on a letter issued by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area, my LGA of origin.
“But, this process is shrouded in mystery and contradictions; first and foremost, I am resident in Abakaliki and not Afikpo South LGA.”
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