BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State has kicked against the closure of Kingdom Model Secondary School, in Ikwuato Idembia, Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.
The school, owned by a PDP chieftain in Ebonyi, Agbom Friday, was shut down by the State Government and students asked to seek admission elsewhere over allegations related to cult activities and killings.
The state PDP Publicity Secretary, Silas Joseph Onu, expressed the party’s displeasure in a statement made available to newsmen, saying that members of the party would “not be deterred by needless intimidation and attacks” from the ruling party.
THE POINT had reported that the Special Assistant to the Governor on Internal Security and Utility (Ebonyi Central), Onyekachi Nwoba, ordered the closure of the school in a public service announcement.
He had said security threat and killing in Ezza South LGA were all planned and executed at the school, hence the need for the closure.
Onu, however, said the PDP was compiling records of what he described as abuses against its members and would soon expose them in national dailies and televisions “for the whole nation and international communities to see what is happening in Ebonyi State.”
He said, “Barr. Agbom Friday is the PDP Chairman for Ezza South Local Government Area and has remained resolute in his decision to continue as a loyal member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State. This is his only sin – refusal to decamp to the APC.
“Suddenly, his business endeavour has become the target of State as they’ve alleged that the School is a harbour for cultists in the Local Government Area. When did they know of this fact? Was it when he refused to decamp with them?”
He described as unwarranted and illegal, the closure of the private school, which he said was duly licensed to operate.
The statement read, “Just two days ago, His Excellency, Governor David Umahi, made an open declaration for peace in Ebonyi State and also directed his subordinates to desist from acts that will advance bitterness in the State.
“With this brazen act of intolerance coming from the Local Government Chairman of Ezza South and other political office holders therefrom, could the directive of the Governor be a mere window-dressing, designed to deceive while politically motivated attacks are sustained by his appointees and boys?
“If the Governor truly meant his directive, then we should see a serious resentment from him regarding this open act of intolerance and psychological violence meted upon Barr. Agbom. As we have stated repeatedly, it is not a crime to refuse the lure of decamping along with the Governor.
“Politics is the epitome of freedom of association as encapsulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and no one can be forced to belong to a political party that he or she is not interested in.
“The action of the Executive Chairman of Ezza South Local Government Area is condemned in totality and he is called upon to immediately re-open that school. It is still the duty of the Nigerian Police to fish out criminals, arrest and prosecute them.
“The Governor is called upon, also, to once again admonish his appointees and followers to desist from further harassing or using their office to intimidate citizens simply because they have refused to decamp into APC.
“The PDP is compiling records of these abuses and will soon begin publishing same in national dailies and televisions for the whole nation and international communities to see what is happening in Ebonyi State. We will not be deterred by needless intimidation and attacks.”
