The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that the group made up of strange fellows in a viral video had called on the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia to deliver its judgement billed for Friday, October 6, via zoom.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Okey Ahaiwe, and his All Progressives Congress counterpart in the March 18 governorship election in the state are currently challenging the declaration of Otti as the governor.
Ekeoma said the group alleged that the state government had concluded plans to intimidate the judges of the tribunal to deliver judgment in favour of Otti, claiming that the group alleged that the judges would be killed if they failed to favour the governor.
He stated, “The attention of the Abia State Government has been drawn to videos arising from two press briefings conducted by individuals suspected to have been hired by opposition elements who were roundly defeated in the last governorship election in the state.
“The first group called Abia Youth Interest Group had alleged that Otti was using Abia funds to sponsor the litigation of the Labour Party presidential election of Mr Peter Obi.
“In the second conference, another group of strange fellows alleged that the four-month-old government of governor Alex Otti is sponsoring the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He added, “Because these allegations are weighty and have the propensity to cause disaffection, insecurity, a breakdown of law and order, and even endanger the lives and property of innocent citizens, we strongly and most respectfully call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief of Army Staff, the National Security Adviser and the Inspector of Police to use their good offices to cause immediate and thorough investigation into the allegations.
“The young men who organised these press conferences should be invited by security agencies to come and throw more light on their allegations to enable law enforcement agents to carry out thorough investigations that could lead to the arrest of the culprits.
“The hate, anger, bitterness and the trademark of terror contained in the text of the press conference and on the facial expressions of the accusers showed a despicable design to subject the government and people of Abia State to dishonour”, Ekeoma concluded.
