Leaders of Community-based organisation, Ekoli Patriotic Front (EPF), have charged security agencies in Ebonyi State to investigate and prosecute those behind a fresh false alarm against a former council Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area, Hon. Eni Uduma Chima.
In a statement released in Abuja, Wednesday, the group regretted the attempts by the purveyors of misinformation to cause panic and confusion in the council, noting that such punitive measures will serve as a deterrent to vendors of misinformation.
Led by Chief Agwu Chima Onyike, (President -General), Mr. Okoro Ekuma Anya (Secretary-General) and Comrade Ogbuagu Okwara, National Public Relations Officer, EPF condemned what it called misleading the petition against the former Council Chairman of Edda LGA, Dr. Eni Uduma Chima by faceless persons under the guise of Ekoli Edda Band of Hope Union.
The group dismissed as patently false the claim by the shady characters that it observed “clandestine meetings convened by Eni Uduma Chima in the community with some unknown persons with short guns (pistols) and parading himself and the boys within the length and breadth of the community on 8th June, 2024.”
They expressed the hope that the communique released by the community after their meeting and sent to the Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, will also guide the authorities on how to moderate the excesses of the State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sunday Okoro Emegha.
While accusing the state APC Chairman of instigating shadowy figures to author frivolous petitions against his perceived rivals, EPF stated that the ongoing moves to change party leadership in the state should not be allowed to destabilise Ekoli community and Edda Local Government Area.
“As peace-loving and patriotic citizens, we are demanding that the authorities should disregard the petition titled, ‘Urgent Security update” for the reason that it is the product of scaremongers and political jobbers.
“In the same vein, we have called on the faceless authors of the petition to withdraw same immediately, particularly given that the contents are concoctions and drips with tissue of unimaginable lies calculated to malign the former council boss,” EPF stated.
“Failure to withdraw the said frivolous petition within the next 48 hours, we shall formally write the security agencies in the State to investigate and prosecute those behind it”, the group added.
The leaders further denounced those “hiding behind the cover of Ekoli Band of Hope Union to instigate false security alarms against Eni Uduma Chima to create the impression that fresh crisis was brewing in Ekoli Edda community.
While urging the faceless petitioners to withdraw their petition and render public apology to Chima, who is a former two-term member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, EPF declared: “The petition is yet another patently false conjecture by some supposedly learned Ekoli elites, who live in perennial and morbid fear of the unmatched popularity and accomplishments of our illustrious son, Eni Uduma Chima, Ph.D.”
Part of the communique, which was made available to newsmen read: “To all intents and purposes, the so-called petition, was signed by one Samuel Kalu Ama Mba, who claims to be Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Ekoli Band of Hope Union and a perceived Assistant Secretary, one Okechukwu Oke Azu and copied to the security agencies and some government offices in Ebonyi State.
“The petition exemplifies the worst false alarms raised in recent history by those faceless characters that have always rendered ignoble services for their political paymasters, especially the State APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha to stoke fear, tension and anxiety in our peaceful and peace-loving Ekoli community.
“The very poorly punctuated petition strangely had alleged that, “He (Eni) was sighted today with his group of boys with weapons in the remote part of Mogborokuma, Azuofor, Ogba Agu, and Ndi Ibom.
“We wish to clearly state that only for the fear of Hon. Barr. Eni Uduma Chima that these badly rehashed petitions are being circulated and fabricated purposely to achieve hidden political agenda they may be desperately plotting.”
EPF said it was not in doubt that the love and popular acclaim which Eni and other well meaning sons and daughters of Ekoli enjoy must have stoked the envy and hidden animosity by faceless characters and their desperate political paymasters.