Alex Otti, former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia, has asked Okezie Ikpeazu, the state governor, to show proof of his alleged sponsorship of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Otti made the demand while responding to a petition Ikpeazu allegedly wrote to the Police Service Commission against him, accusing him of sponsoring the secessionist group.
The governor was alleged to have accused him of being behind the removal of Ene Okon, the state commissioner of police, for failing to release one Emperor Ogbonna whom he said is an ally of Otti.
Reacting via a statement on Thursday, Otti said he does not know Ogbonna and had only intervened in his detention out of concern.
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“To set the records straight, I do not know Emperor Ogbonna. I have never met nor spoken to him. So the allegation of him being sponsored by me is laughable,”he said.
“When the plight of the young man was brought to my attention and by then he had been incarcerated for about 3 weeks, I picked up my phone and called CP Okon. I started by telling him that I did not know Mr. Ogbonna but as an Abia citizen, I thought I should intervene.
“I reminded him that this is a democracy and warned him about being used by the Governor and his co travelers to abuse the fundamental human rights of Abians including Emperor Ogbonna.
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Otti also said the allegation he is sponsoring IPOB is to “pitch me against the authorities”.
“I make bold to challenge Ikpeazu to come up with proofs to show that I am the sponsor of IPOB or forever hide his head in shame,” he said.
“I consider this as a cheap attempt to pitch me against the authorities which will fail. It was actually his incompetence in dealing with the a small insurrection that ballooned into the python dance.”
The former governorship candidate asked the governor to withdraw the said petition and tender “an unreserved apology to me for defaming my character and false accusation”.
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