Ebonyi South: Ohanaeze wades into Umahi-Okorie crisis, calls for calm in Onicha LGA 

The Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, on Wednesday, waded into the arrest, arraignment of the Labour Party senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South District, Mr. Linus Okorie, in an Abakaliki magistrate court.

Okorie, a two time member of the House of Representatives, was arraigned on five count charges bordering on alleged murder, felony, conspiracy, incitement, and threat to Ebonyi State Governor’s life, David Umahi.

Okorie was remanded in Abakaliki correctional centre, for allegedly commiting the crimes.

The Presiding Magistrate, Linda Ogodo had said that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter and however, adjourned the matter to 4th November, 2022, for further hearing.

According to reports, the former House of Representatives member, Okorie, is contesting for the same Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone, with Umahi, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the zone.

It was gathered that Okorie’s arrest had generated crisis in two communities of Onicha-Igboeze and Ugwulangwu in Onicha and Ohaozara local government areas of Ebonyi State.

The Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, who spoke through the secretary general, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, called for calm and urged the youths of the council areas to allow the police to do their proper investigation on the matter.

According to him: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo does not support one Igbo person, against another Igbo person. A lot of people have won election from the prison or detention, is not new in Nigeria. All we are saying is that Governor David Umahi is popular, and another person can be popular, until the day of the election.

“We are pleading that the youths of those communities should maintain peace and order. Nobody should instigate violence, and we are preaching for peace and unity. We are pleading with the youths of those communities to allow the Nigeria police to do their proper investigation into the matter.

“The police has the constitutional rights to invite any person for questioning on any issue bordering on breach of security in any place. The issue of Ebonyi south senatorial zone, has been a front Bonner issue that must be handled with care and must not be allowed to generate into political violence.”