I didn’t tell my supporters to kill to stop Atiku – Obiano

Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano has denied a statement credited to him in which he is said to have told his supporters to kill if that would stop the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from winning.

A comment which is widely circulating on social media and attributed to Obiano states that the governor had on Thursday in a political rally told his supporters to do everything possible, including killing to stop PDP from winning in Anambra.

But the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr James Eze who reacted to the comment on social media on behalf of the governor said the comment attributed to the governor was false.

Eze said the comment was merely geared towards inciting the people of Anambra against their governor.

Eze said, “Our attention has been drawn to a very hateful and distasteful story being circulated on the social media by Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia, which credited a blood-curdling statement to the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano.

“In the said story, Onyia claimed that while addressing the members of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Awka on the 7th of February 2019, Governor Obiano had declared as follows: Even if you kill anybody in your quest to make sure that PDP did not win your ward , I will bail the person. You must do everything possible to make sure that PDP did not win and I repeat, if you must kill, kill …Meanwhile, money won’t be the issue …”

“This incendiary comment published by Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia is absolutely untrue, misleading, unconscionable and totally condemnable.

Governor Obiano has never said anything like that to anybody. He did not even attend any party gathering on Thursday the 7th of February as he was in mourning after attending the burial of the deceased APGA chieftain, Akunwata Mike Kwentoh at Onitsha earlier in the day.

Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia’s reprehensible lie is, therefore, a grave immoral injury on the person of the Governor of Anambra State, the office he occupies and the good people of Anambra State who are genuinely concerned about the image of this great state in the outside world.

“There is a limit to rascality and pretend activism that is not anchored on a sound education or a sound ideology or an elevated vision of society.

Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia is willfully and deliberately inciting Ndi Anambra against their governor with appalling lies foisting an undeserved image of horror and darkness on the people of Anambra State. That is not the right path to redemptive activism or responsible politics.

“In the past five years, Governor Obiano has demonstrated his care for the safety of Ndi Anambra and his respect for the sanctity of human lives. Ikechukwu Onyia’s malignant effort to set Obiano up for public hatred and resentment should be condemned by Ndi Anambra and all lovers of Anambra State.

“It is the responsibility of the people of this great state to ask questions and interrogate any effort by any individual no matter how highly placed, to drag Anambra State in the mud and make its motto of “Light of the Nation” seem like a poorly couched lie.

“Ndi Anambra should demand a simple explanation from Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia about where he got his horrible report and if he fails to tender any proof, demand for an apology.

“It is our collective responsibility to preserve the dignity and honour that the OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR of Anambra State deserves no matter who occupies it at any given time.”