Governor Francis Nwifuru has absolved the chairman of Ohaozara LGA, Chinonso Ajah, of incompetence in checking recent killings in the area. The governor linked the killings to people unhappy “that the council chairman and governor are youths.”

Mr Nwifuru declared this on Thursday at the council during the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally for the Feb. 3 Ebonyi south senatorial district by-election.

The governor said the unfortunate killing of some youths in the area was perpetrated so that people would lose confidence in the chairman’s abilities.

“They want me to say that the chairman does not have the capacity to maintain peace in the council. They don’t want him to secure a second term in office but with your affirmations and consultation with stakeholders, he has my support,” he said.

He said that the killings were also aimed at discrediting his government, especially when he leaves office as the governor.

“When I leave office and another youth is expected to take over, people will oppose such an opportunity given to the youths. They want people to say that when Nwifuru, a youth, was in power, there were killings.

“We should support the council chairman to deal with these people as they are not happy that the council chairman and governor are youths,” he said.

Mr Nwifuru swore to do everything within his reach to apprehend and prosecute all those responsible for the killings in the area.

“You can’t because of politics and access to guns, say that someone will not attend a burial in his community. We would abide by the law in this matter but all those involved in it will not survive it,” he said.

He urged the people to vote for the APC candidate because his pedigree will make him succeed in the Senate.

“The southern senatorial district had always selected its best for the Senate and this is the first time we would be sending a professor there. All the Senate principal officers from Ebonyi in the past, have always come from the south and this makes me jealous as someone from the northern district,” he said.

The pioneer secretary of the APC in Ebonyi, Chaka Nweze, thanked the governor for the visit and promised that the people would deliver the APC candidate in totality.

Mr Nweze, a former council chairman, noted that the people would heed the governor’s admonition to protect their votes.

Other stakeholders from the area took turns assuring the governor of victory for the party at the poll. 

(NAN)