Ebonyi Deputy Speaker, Odefa Petitions IGP, Accuses Governor And Speaker Ebonyi HOA Of Conspiracy And Forgery

The Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon Odefa Obasi Odefa, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police over alleged conspiracy, forgery, criminal intimidation, threat to life and conduct likely to breach public peace by the Governor of the State, David Umahi and the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Ebonyi State, Hon. Francis Ogbonna Ikoro.

The petition was written on behalf of the embattled Deputy Speaker by Nkemakolam Okoro S.C, Esq. who in the letter said the Deputy Speaker’s travails emanates from unsuccessful desperate efforts of the state governor to drag high ranking members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, with him to the APC.

The petition reads in part, “Our services have been retained by Hon Odefa Obasi Odefa, whom we shall hereinafter refer to, as our client and on whose firm instructions, we write to your esteemed office.

“It is our client’s instructions that he was elected as a Member of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, in March 2019. Sometime in June 2019, our client was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

“It is further our client’s instructions, that on the 19th day of November 2020, the Governor of Ebonyi State who was elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, made desperate efforts, to drag high ranking members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, with him to the Apc, which attempt, was resisted by the said members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“That consequent upon the refusal of the member of the Peoples Democratic Party to join the governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi to the Peoples Democratic, that he concocted several allegations to frame them up just to subjugate them. That the Governor of Ebonyi State had also approached him, seeking that he joins the All Progressives Congress, and he resisted the Governor.

“That just recently, David Umahi, approached him, to join his team to the All Progressives Congress National Convention, earlier scheduled to hold in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory in February 2022, so as to support his presidential ambition. That he informed the governor, that he will not join him to the APC, convention, as he is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. That pursuant to his conversations with the governor, he held a press conference on the 19th day of February 2022, wherein, he publicly reaffirmed his membership of the Peoples Democratic.

“That his public declaration and affirmation of his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party incensed the governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, who immediately put the machinery in motion to illegally remove him as member of the state House of Assembly and as the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.”

The lawyer explains further that Odefa never resigned from the House of Assembly. According to him, the letter of resignation which was written in his old Letterhead paper was a product of forgery between Governor Umahi and Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly.

The lawyer raised concern that the Deputy Speaker is now under house arrest by some uniform men whom he Suspects to be assassins

“That consequent upon his public declaration and affirmation of his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, that David Umahi, in connivance with Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, and Hon Kingsley Ogbonna Ikoro, forged his old letter headed paper, which he last used in 2018, and discarded after his inauguration in March 2019, as a member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly. That the said David Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi State, Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, and Hon Kingsley Ogbonna Ikoro, conspired, and forged his signature, and a purported letter of resignation, by which they allegedly removed him from office on the 21st day of February 2022, as the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, and as a member of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

“That the said letter by which he was purportedly removed from office, was dated the 15th of November 2021 and received in the office of the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly on the 21st day of February 2022, pursuant to which the Speaker, in connivance with some members of the state House of Assembly, allegedly removed him from office and declared his seat vacant.

“That he never authored any such letter, and never submitted any such letter to the office of the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, on the said 21st day of February 2022, or any other date whatsoever, or to anyone whosoever.

“That immediately upon his removal, the governor of Ebonyi State, sent men, in police uniforms, who are desperately hunting for him, in Ebonyi State, to torture and possibly kill him. Our client believes, that the persons, heavily armed, parading in police uniforms, are hired assassins, sent by the said David Umahi, against his person.

“That he received a letter purportedly directing the Commissioner Police Ebonyi State, to recover government properties in his possession. In accordance with the letter, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State, whom the governor of Ebonyi State, has consistently used to intimidate members of the opposition party in the state, immediately deployed a battalion of heavily armed policemen, who have been stationed at his home, as no one is allowed entry or exit to and from his home in Abakaliki. Our client and members of his family, are now locked up in their home, and cannot access the basic necessities of life, and are not sure of survival the next minute.

“The members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, are no longer comfortable, with the conduct of the David Umahi, who wants to suppress all members of the opposition party in the state for his political gains. That he as a responsible citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, had consistently called on his innumerable supporters not to fight back.” Odefa’s lawyer wrote

Odefa called on the IGP to save his life and to restore peace, law and order in Ebonyi State. He advised that investigation be launched into the situation by neutral police Department in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory as the PDP do not have confidence in the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police anymore.

The letter concluded, “That except by the urgent intervention of the Inspector General of Police, there may likely be, a breakdown of law and order in Ebonyi State, due to the high handed and intolerance of David Umahi, against the opposition PDP, in Ebonyi State.

“It is further our client’s instructions, that he and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, do not have confidence in the neutrality of the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, in respect of political issues in the state, and want a neutral police Department in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory to investigate this matter and to restore peace, law and order in Ebonyi State.

“Our client, urgently look forward to the immediate response from the Inspector General of Police, to save his life and that of other members of his family.”