By Ozo Felix, Abakaliki
Non-indigenes resident in Ebonyi State said that they would not be deceived by falsehood and propaganda being peddled by opposition elements, come 2019 general elections.
The Ebonyi State residents, under the umbrella of Urban Forum, which had earlier endorsed the incumbent Governor David Umahi as their sole candidate, come 2019 said that the security and accommodation they currently enjoy could not be risked.
Chief Charles Akpu-Enika, a leader of the Urban Forum, at a press conference in Abakaliki, yesterday said that since the emergence of the current administration, incidents of land grabbing and intimidation have stopped because of the disposition of the governor.
“Anybody coming to deceive us will be resisted. We won’t allow those who call themselves opposition deceive us. They are those who are against us.
“What we have in Ebonyi is minor opposition. It is a collection of those opposed to interest of non-indigenes; those even against development of the state, imagine the opposition against construction of the Ring Road.
“We cannot be deceived by those who parade as opposition, the APCs and their co-travellers. Most of them are those who wanted the non-indigenes sacked from this state. They are those who prosecuted demolition of house of the non-indigenes. We now feel at home, with conducive environment for business and socialization. We are now proud to tell anybody that we are living in Ebonyi State. See how he has re-constructed the state capital”, he stated.
Akpu-Enika, an Anambra-state-born Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, explained that about seven Hausas, and six Yourba people were appointed as Technical Assistants to the Governor, a thing he said had never been done before now.
“By the grace of God, all the non-indigenes in Ebonyi State had on April 1, 2017 endorsed the governor as their sole candidate, even unopposed.
The immediate past governor said that he won’t develop capital because it is habituated by non-indigenes. We target to give governor Umahi, at least one hundred thousand votes on the platform of Urban Forum, and we have other associations under the forum.
“We have witnessed empowerment of widows, empowerment of youth and these are done without segregation as to where you come from. We have witnessed restoration of peace in Ezillo and Ezza/ Ezillo, now tell me why or what any person can advance as reason why we should not even beg Umahi to continue the good works”.
