Ban on Journalists: Call Umahi to order, Ebonyi indigenes tell PDP

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been asked to call the governor of Ebonyi State Engr. Dave Umahi, to order against the backdrop of the recent ban placed on two journalists in the state and other misgovernance capable of demarketing the party. A group, Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora […]

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been asked to call the governor of Ebonyi State Engr. Dave Umahi, to order against the backdrop of the recent ban placed on two journalists in the state and other misgovernance capable of demarketing the party.

A group, Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) said the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP must caution the governor against maladministration and moves capable of dwindling the fortunes of the party in Ebonyi in the future elections.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Chairman of the group, Ambassador Pascal Oluchukwu, said the PDP has a duty to caution its Ebonyi State governor against what he described as “undemocratic practices and ensure that his actions, on behalf of the party, do not undermine its enviable democratic credentials.”

Oluchukwu, who is a political activist, insisted that the recent actions and inaction of governor Umahi was capable of bringing misfortune to the PDP.

“The recent disgraceful and most unwarranted ban placed on two Journalists deployed to cover Ebonyi State by the management of Vanguard and The Sun Newspapers respectively is not ideal of a democratic party which PDP represent.

“The Journalists were being punished not because of their incompetence but because they have demonstrated independent reasoning and have refused to be corrupted or intimidated on the discharge of their duties.

“The PDP needs to caution Governor Dave Umahi against making unguarded and careless utterances capable of undermining the democratic gains of the party in the state.

“People will not forget in a hurry the example of the gag order issued by Umahi to the Civil Servants in the state recently not to speak out against any government policy however unpopular, the governor threatened to fire such public officer from the Civil Service job.

“We call on the national leadership of the PDP to rise up to the challenges imposed on its peculiar position to rein on the governor and ensure that he remains respectful of democratic norms in leading the government and people of Ebonyi state on its behalf.

“We believe that, for the PDP to safeguard its democratic reputations, it must not overlook obvious disrespect for the rule of law and must therefore bring Governor Dave Umahi to book, and caution his approach,” the group said.

Umahi had, on April 22, claimed that the state has the koboko (cane) to flog any member of the correspondents’ Chapel wing of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi state that publishes negative story against the state.

The governor’s declaration came after he placed a life ban on two members of the Chapel, Mr. Chijoke Agwu of the Daily Sun and Mr. Peter Okutu of the Vanguard Newspapers.

The ban forbids the duo from entering the government house and covering state functions.

Agwu’s offence, according to the state government, was his publication on the Lassa Fever outbreak in the state while that of Okutu was based on alleged invasion at Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo community in Ohankwu LGA by unidentified military officers on Tuesday.

Umahi announced the ban on Wednesday in a live broadcast on the state-owned Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation radio and TV.