The Labour Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate, Dr Alex Otti, has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for promptly arresting the Director of Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA), Tony Otuonye, who threatened to kill anybody that votes against the governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Okey Ahiwe.
A video had circulated online showing Otuonye vehemently warning anyone planning to vote against the PDP candidate.
The ABSAA boss was grilled by the DSS on Monday after which he was granted administrative bail.
In a statement through State Coordinator of his Campaign Council, Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, the gubernatorial candidate urged the secret police to go after anyone, no matter how highly placed, who by their actions or utterances plot to plunge the state into chaos.
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“We commend security agencies, especially, the Department of State Security Service (DSS) over the manhunt and swift arrest of one Anthony Otuonye, a self-acclaimed Killer who did a video a few days ago threatening to unleash violence and kill Abians who might want to come out to cast their votes against PDP governorship candidate.
“Labour Party and the Alex Otti Campaign Council note that the arrest and detention of Mr. Otuonye and some of his allies was timely as it would help avert destabilisation of the state and destruction of lives and property.
“The Otti Campaign Council and Labour Party strongly believe that if Otuonye who serves as the General Manager of Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency was not enjoying the support and protection of the Okezie Ikpeazu- led Government, he would not have had the audacity to appear in public glare in the day time to issue a such cruel and vicious threat against innocent citizens.
“We are aware that Mr. Otuonye has not only been unleashing violence against innocent citizens through the illegal removal or destruction of campaign billboards belonging to opposition parties but has been indulging in activities as the GM of ABSAA by forcing people to either … or he would frustrate their approval for installation of billboards.
“We wish to urge Security agencies to ensure that Mr. Otuonye’s accomplices and other agents of violence and destruction working for the PDP, and who are either at large or preparing violent attacks in different parts of the state, are declared wanted, tracked down and brought to book so as to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements working for the PDP, for the purpose of setting the state on fire over their electoral woes,” the statement read in part.