PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

23 February, 2023

From:
The Campaign Office of Hon. Solomon Izuchukwu Onah (PDP candidate for Enugu State House of Assembly, Udenu Constituency)

To:
The General Public

RE: “Udenu LG Chair declares war on his people, imports black axe men to deal with opposition”

Our official position

For the second time in forty eight hours, we have found ourselves constrained to make two press statements, to address what has become a pandemic reign of falsehood and propaganda by few misguided elements masquerading as opposition politicians in Enugu State, and more especially Udenu Local Government Area. These motley of infamously selfish men are embittered by the prevailing serene atmosphere in Udenu as the people prepare to exercise their franchise in two days time.

Their intention as can be deduced from their actions were to cause panic, and incite the public against government by raising false alarm about phantom security breaches while they spread unverified news of plans to truncate peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections in our Local Government Area.

First, they tried hard to foster breakdown of law and order across towns within the Local Government Area, and when, they failed in this regard, due to topnotch security network that had kept Udenu safe since the Executive Chairman and our candidate, Hon. Solomon Onah took office, they started escalating nonexistent intrusions and social disorder in our land.

Secondly they make inflammatory remarks against the Executive Chairman, hoping to cause disaffection between himself, his party — the PDP and the good people of Udenu LGA. In doing this, they create an imaginary story and fund it to trend across social media spaces alleging an unfounded group of disruptors, who, they say are sponsored to truncate peaceful atmosphere which has cascaded Udenu for years under his watch.

However, for contending against truth and justice, their stories don’t jell. Their dots never connect. And their claims are so shallow to unearth. Falsehood always have a stain of illogicality which helps people to easily identify it. “No matter how fast and far falsehood travels along the road of human course” so said wise men “truth will certainly overtake it with triumphant elegance.”

This was what happened to a certain poorly crafted fabled article, written by one pseudonymous Nnamdi Udeagha who vilified the Council Chairman, Hon. Onah and maligned the entire people of Udenu as people who are killing themselves for electoral gains.

We had elected not to dignify such shameless write-up with a response, but when we found out that if left unchallenged, such falsehood will sail in the guise of truth and deceive the unsuspecting public. So for the sake of the uninformed, we are constrained to make this statement as the official position of the campaign office of the Chairman.

In the malicious piece titled: “Udenu LG Chair declares war on his people, imports black axe men to deal with opposition” the hatchet jobber struggled to decorate his lies in fashionable garb of truth, saying that Hon. Onah is hiring cult men to truncate free and fair election which he has laboured all these years to enthrone in Udenu. This is totally false and devoid of any truth. Hon. Onah is a man of character and does not associate himself with such allegations.

We thus posit as follows:

i. That after the unfortunate incineration of Labour Party campaign Vehicle along Enugu Ezike road Obollo Afor, done by suspected “Unknown Gun Men” we told the general public in a memo with reference number SSG4G/0223/002 that the Council Chairman was on top of the situation. The result of the preliminary investigation obtained is being worked on, in order to track the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

ii. That the Council Chairman has convoked three security meetings of all stakeholders of the Local Government Area, in the past 24 hours, and has come up with watertight security plans to ensure the security personnel are proactive and our people are protected in these desperate times.

iii. That if these selfish individuals who are hell-bent on false accusation and defamation of our able candidate — Hon. Onah don’t desist from their acts, the legal team of our campaign council will have no choice than pencil them for prosecution on charges of libelous infringements.

iv. That in the past two days, there are reported pockets of violence in flashpoints of some Local Government Areas in the state by Unknown Gun men, with latest being the killing of the Labour Party senatorial Candidate for Enugu East zone, Barr. Oyibo Chukwu, the burning down of PDP’s House of Representatives candidate for Awgu/Aninri Constituency, Rt. Hon. Offor Chukwuegbo’s campaign vehicle, and the murder of a young man in Igbo Eze North LGA. All these horrors send red alert to our security agents.

v. That our candidate, condemned these tragedies in strong terms. They are certainly the machination of miscreants trying to taint the immaculate administration of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi which made the state the safest haven in the southeast. And he promised that they will never prevail, as their days are numbered.

Finally, while we encourage the good people of Udenu LGA to neglect these falsehoods being peddled by naysayers and go about their businesses, it is pertinent to advise that everyone be on guard and report all strange happenstances to security agencies. All security operatives (Military, Police, Civil Defense, Neighborhood Watch, Forest Guards) in Udenu LGA have been charged by the Council Chairman to be apolitical, and devest themselves of any form of sentiment in the discharge of their duties. In this election, their terms of reference is clear: make sure environment is safe for our people to exercise their legitimate franchise.

Thanks and remain blessed.

Signed:

Solo Support Group for Gburugburu (SSG4G), Udenu LGA.
Email: jacksologroup@gmail.com
23/02/2023