Chidi Samuel
The campaign office of the Abia state governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA), on Wednesday said it has uncovered a plot by Abia state government to publicly assault Dr. Alex Otti during public functions in Aba, the states commercial city.
In a statement on Wednesday made available to Alabingo.com by the campaign spokesperson, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the plot is in response to an alleged humiliation suffered by the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu who was allegedly booed at a church programme recently in Aba.
According to the statement, the governor and his supporters believe D.r Otti sponsored those who humiliated him, hence their decision to plot an attack against him.
While noting with sadness the poor performance of governor Ikpeazu in office, Ekeoma, however, distanced Dr. Otti from whatever embarrassment the governor suffered in Aba
He said, ” even though we are saddened by the very poor performance of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia state, neither Dr. Alex Otti nor his supporters were responsible for the embarrassing outing suffered by the Governor, thus should not be at the receiving end of whatever misplaced aggression of the governor and his team”.
Below is the full text of the statement
PRESS RELEASE.
Plot to Assault APGA Governorship Candidate, Dr. Alex Otti in Aba.
The office of Media Assistant to Dr. Alex Otti has uncovered a dangerous plot by agents of Abia state government who have been equipped and assigned the responsibility of ensuring that the APGA Governorship Candidate, Dr. Alex Otti OFR is assaulted at public functions in Aba.
Reliable sources have informed this office that the plot was provoked by the alleged humiliation of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at a crusade in Aba recently when he was allegedly booed by some worshippers who took offence at his attempt to indulge in subtle campaign for reelection while he is still parading a very poor first term scorecard.
In the warped calculation of the government, their nemesis, Alex Otti was behind the booing, hence their ungodly plot to assault him by sending some thugs who would infiltrate every gathering Dr. Otti finds himself in, with the intent of causing chaos by interrupting his speech, and where possible, throw sachet water and missiles at him.
We are alarmed by this dishonorable kind of politics and thus state as follows:
1. That even though we are saddened by the very poor performance of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia state, neither Dr. Alex Otti nor his supporters were responsible for the embarrassing outing suffered by the Governor, thus should not be at the receiving end of whatever misplaced aggression of the governor and his team.
2. That the unpopularity of the governor amongst Abians should be properly understood as a self inflicted misfortune that could only be corrected through performance, and not through barbaric politics of absolutism.
3. That such a plot shows that the government is disconnected from the realities on ground not to know that its unjust actions like non payment of workers salaries and pension arrears, extortion of business men and women of Abia, unemployment, life threatening touting and thuggery etc, are some of the reasons for the anti Ikpeazu/PDP sentiment.
4. That Otti and his team wouldn’t have bothered responding to this ill conceived plot, knowing fully well that millions of Abians are queuing behind him in solidarity in his honest quest to salvage Abia, but because the government would always have access to thugs having impoverished thousands of Abia youths, we thought it wise to alert Abians, especially parents and guardians to warn their children and wards not to fall prey to such destructive manipulation by agents of Abia state government.
5. That we have taken note of other serious threats against Dr. Alex Otti and his supporters by known aides, agents and other officials of Abia state government, and would seriously advise those power drunk extremists behind such threats to pause and return to sanity in their own interest.
6. We have also alerted the security agents of these plans and are confident that they will be at alert to prevent breakdown of law and order, orchestrated by “Chief Security Officer” of the State.
7. Finally, that those who seek to preside over public offices in Abia should not be afraid of public scrutiny, rather should purge themselves of ownership mentality so that they don’t misconstrue such offices for their personal estates that could be run aground without any objections.
Signed
Ferdinand Ekeoma
Media Assistant to
Dr. Alex Otti
28/11/2018
11/28/18