Dr. Alex Otti, governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Abia State, has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for its swiftness in arresting the Director, of Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA), Tony Otuonye, for threatening to kill anybody that would vote against the governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Okey Ahiwe.
Otuonye, in a viral video, threatened to deal ruthlessly with anyone that would not vote for the PDP candidate.
He was on Monday, quizzed by the Secret Police which granted him Administrative bail after grilling him.
Reacting to the development, Otti called on the Service to also go after Otuonye’s accomplices for peace to reign in the state.
Otti in a statement by his Campaign Council alleged that Otuonye had also called taking undue advantage of his office to frustrate the opposition from hoisting their campaign billboards through extravagant 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.
It read in part: “We commend security agencies, especially, the Department of State Security Service (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 the day time to issue a 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 but has been indulging in activities as the GM of ABSAA by forcing people to either … or he would frustrate their approval for installation of billboards.
“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.”
Otti urged security agencies to hold the Abia State Government responsible should there be any breach of public peace in the state.
“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 the breakdown of law and order in Abia state, before, during and after the governorship election.
“Security agents should also deploy personnel to different LGA 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 to escape the humiliation being prepared for them by the Abia electorate at the polls.”
