GROUP CONDEMNS UMAHI OVER ORDER TO ARREST ABIA ONYIKE BY DSS

DSS Picks Stephen Oken, As Umahi Orders The Arrest Of Abia OnyikeGROUP CONDEMNS THE ORDER FOR THE ARREST OF CHIEF ABIA ONYIKE, FOR ALLEGEDLY CRITICIZING UMAHI’S GOVERNMENT; DEMANDS THE RELEASE OF STEPHEN OKEN PICKED UP BY THE DSS:Otu Obiahu, AJM NEWS
June 12/06/2020A non governmental organization, Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes In Diaspora AESID, has condemned the order issued by the state governor, Engr. Dave Umahi for the arrest of a one time Commissioner for Information in the state and a well known critic of Umahi’s government, Chief Abia Onyike, whom the governor said must be arrested and quarantined for entering the state of recent.The group described the order by Governor Umahi on 2020 Democracy Day Celebration as an evil democracy day gift to Ebonyians, which is also a further proof of Umahi’s towering anti-democratic credentials.The group said: “We vehemently condemn Governor Umahi’s evil democracy day gifts to Ebonyians”.The AESID further demanded the immediate release of one Ezza man, Mr. Stephen Oken who was allegedly picked up by the DSS on Thursday for undisclosed reasons, by the order of the state governor.The AESID made their views known via a Communique signed the President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu and made available to news men.Below Is The Full Text Of The Communique::The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Disapora, AESID- a Non-governmental organization passionate about the welfare of the State’s citizens vehemently condemn the latest draconian order issued to the Direcotate of State Security Services, DSS by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi for the arrest of one of his stern critics and erstwhile Commissioner for Information, Chief Abia Onyike.We are deeply saddened that Governor Umahi who made the order while giving an update on COVID-19 in the State at the Government House, Abakaliki has continued to flourish on his anti-democratic credentials even on the eve of the celebration of Nigeria’s chequered democratic experiment by ordering incessant arrests of citizens who share differing views on matters of policies and governance in his five-year old administration.The crime of Chief Onyike according to the Governor is the claim that he came into Ebonyi from an ‘unknown destination’ and allegedly violated the COVID-19 lockdown rules in the State by not quarantining himself. He was consequently barred from entering his Edda village in (Afikpo South LGA) by the anti-COVID-19 Task Force causing him to return to the State capital. We are rudely shocked that Governor Umahi could stoop so low by asking the State’s secret service to pick the former Commissioner up in his Abakaliki residence for immediate isolation at its facility.This platform is however deeply worried that Governor Umahi’s arrest order came barely 24 hours after Chief Onyike critiqued the Governor’s 5-year old administration during a Radio Programme on 92.5 Enugu’s Dream Fm. It is therefore a clear case of the witch crying in the night only for neighbours to see the dead body of the baby the next morning and this stands truly condemned by us and every reasonable Ebonyian.
Assuming without conceding that the former Commissioner is positive for Corona Virus, is the DSS which should be more deeply concerned with tackling more pressing State security challenges such as kidnappings, inter-communal unrests and several reported clashes the appropriate agency to quarantine or isolate him? We sincerely frown at the flagrant abuse of State powers through the incessant use of State security apparatchik and unofficial State security outfits such as the Neighbourhood Security Watch by the Governor to intimidate, harass, molest, arrest and attack harmless and innocent citizens, particularly those who share opposing views on his dictatorial style of governance.Just yesterday, another citizen of the State from Ezza North Local Government Area of the State, Mr. Stephen Oken was picked by the DSS on the orders of the State on spurious and unsubstantiated allegations. How does Umahi feel that the only democracy gift he could offer to the citizens of Ebonyi whose wealth and resources he has amassed all for himself and his family on the eve of Democracy Day celebration is the unrelenting arrests and attacks on his critics?We wish to remind Governor Umahi that the fundamental gain in any democracy for the citizens the world over is freedom: freedom to choose those who rule them, freedom to criticize them or their style of government, freedom to criticize programmes and policies of government and, most importantly, FREEDOM TO CONTRIBUTE BY WAY OF ADVICE ON HOW GOVERNANCE CAN BE BETTER IMPROVED.It is our summation therefore that as noted by his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi during the 2013 Democracy Day Celebration “since such freedom is a shared value, it implies that nobody’s right to say ‘yes’ on an issue is superior to another person’s right to say ‘no’ on the same issue. Edward Bellamy appeared to have directly added a voice on this when he proclaimed that: “the primal principle of democracy is the worth and dignity of the individual.”From his widely-condemned attacks on his Social media critics in 2017 and 2018 through the use of his political thugs to his globally-condemned and outrageous ‘life-ban’ on two journalists for merely performing their statutory and constitutional duties, Governor Umahi has continually shown that he detests free speech which is necessary and healthy for a virile and viable democracy where citizens know their rights and privileges.
Is this the same Umahi we recollect who vowed in his inaugural address at about this time in 2015 that he would run; “A government that will listen and absorb the wisdom and counsel that will come from all citizens, young and old. We shall strive with our mightiest effort to give meaning to the concept of a government of the people, by the people and for the people. We shall do so precisely because we recognize that we are nothing without the people…”?The recent vituperative onslaughts against his erstwhile Secretary to the State Government, Professor Benard Odoh and the unleashing of virtually all State apparatus against him for merely calling on the Umahi-led government to be accountable to the citizens of Ebonyi State is another testament of his detest for opposing views and opinions no matter how healthy it may be. This, we have repeatedly asserted is also condemnable!It is our solemn request therefore that Governor Umahi should put a self-check on his growing anti-democratic tendencies since his numerous aides cannot advise him and IMMEDIATELY REVERSE himself on the order for arrest of Chief Onyike and also ORDER IMMEDIATE and UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE of Mr. Oken who has been in DSS custody since two days ago.
He should in addition to the above also apologize to the entire Ebonyi State over these unbecoming conducts and particularly the affected persons and their families while assuring them of their safety and security as the Chief Security Officer of the Salt of the nation!While appreciating pasts and present leaders for their enormous contributions to the advancement of democracy in the State, we specially thank the good people of our dear Ebonyi State for their very active roles and participations so far in the entire democratic processes in the State in the last 21 years of its existence and urge them never to give up.
For in the very end, the wise words of Marjorie Kelly on democracy will be their testimony:
“The lesson of history is clear: democracy always wins in the end.”Sign:
Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu
AESID President Worldwide©AfikpoJokwaMedia
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