The council chairman of Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Chief Chidiebere Uzor, has called on political parties in his area to maintain peace and shun violence.
The chairman gave the charge on Thursday while refuting the allegations by some Labour Party members that he sponsored boys loyal to him to attack their House of Assembly candidate in Oshiri community.
According to the chairman, he did not attack nor sponsor boys against the Labour Party candidate and promised to fish out the perpetrators that disguised themselves to attack people in his council area.
He then promised to protect the lives and properties in his council area and also charged the security agencies to rise up and fish out all the bad people causing crises in the area in the name of politics, especially during this festive period.
His words: “As the father of the local government, I will not allow anybody that will come to cause crisis in Onicha LGA to succeed. I have ordered the security agencies to arrest and prosecute anybody who hides under any political party to cause problems in Onicha because my local government is the most peaceful area in Ebonyi and must remain peaceful.
“All political parties should also respect themselves and do the needful, if you are campaigning, do campaign, canvass for people to vote for you, but don’t cause violence or kill anybody because of politics.
“If there is anything happening in the area I have not been brief and I will look into it now for peace to remain.”
Recall that some members of Labour Party Oshiri community had on Wednesday protested the attack on their House Assembly candidate Ifeanyi Ogba, in the area.
The protesters with placards “Say no to campaign election violence in Oshiri, “say no to political intimidation, witch-hunting in Oshiri”, “Politics is not a do or die affair” urged the governor of the State David Umahi, to protect his people from further attack.
Speaking to newsmen, Sunday Nwinya, Coordinator Labour Party (LP) Oshiri, during the protest, condemned the attack on his party in the community.
He, however, appealed to the Federal Government and Inspector General Police to provide security so that everyone in the community will have an enabling environment to excel.
“Unknown people attacked our office and carted away some properties in our campaign office. We replaced the banner, and it was damaged also.”
A Labour Party chieftain, Abel Igboke, called on the state governor to work hard and create an enabling environment for all political parties to exercise their franchise.
“We are here to protest the dastardly attack on our son who is contesting for the state Assembly, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Ogba of Labour Party. My appeal is to tell the executive governor of the state David Umahi to calm down the people and ensure that peace will reign and every political party will have time to campaign without fear.”
Meanwhile, Chiadikaobi Eze urged his people to desist from attacking their brothers in the name of politics and embrace peace. According to him, if nothing is done, there may be no election in the area because of fear.
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