Chief Ifeanyi-Chukwuma Odii, 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi, has dismissed allegations by the member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Mr Chinedu Ogah, that he has been sponsoring cyberbullying against Ebonyi government.
Odii, business Mogul, popularly known as “AnyiChuks” in a statement to journalists in Abakaliki on Tuesday, described the allegation as baseless and an attempt to criminalise legitimate criticism and divert attention from issues of governance in the state.
He maintained that demanding accountability from elected public officials was a constitutional right of citizens and should not be misconstrued as cyberbullying or cyberstalking.
“Since when did asking questions become cyberbullying? Since when did demanding a scorecard become cyberstalking?” Odii asked.
He said Ebonyi people deserved to know how public resources allocated to the state had been utilised, insisting that citizens had the right to demand transparency and good governance.
According to him, criticism of government policies and performance is an essential feature of democracy and should not be interpreted as an attack on any individual.
Odii also responded to Ogah’s challenge on his contributions to the development of Ebonyi, saying his philanthropic interventions through the Odii Foundation and private investments had positively impacted residents across the state’s 13 local government areas.
He pointed that he had empowered more than 20,000 youths and women through grants, vocational training and start-up support, while over 5,000 students had benefited from local and foreign scholarships in various disciplines.
The PDP governorship candidate further said agro-processing and information technology hubs established in Afikpo, Onicha and Abakaliki had created employment opportunities for young people.
“My foundation had provided free medical outreach programmes and health insurance for vulnerable persons, as well as built more than 1,500 houses for widows and other indigent residents.
Odii challenged Ogah to verify the claims, insisting that the beneficiaries were spread across communities in the state.
He also denied allegations that he was influencing officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register underage voters, describing the accusation as reckless, defamatory and without evidence.
Odii urged the lawmaker to forward any evidence in his possession to the appropriate security agencies instead of making what, he described as unsubstantiated allegations in the media.
The PDP candidate said his aspiration to govern Ebonyi was driven by a desire to improve governance and accelerate development.
He pledged to continue commending the Gov Francis Nwifuru administration where it performed well, while constructively criticising areas requiring improvement.
Odii added that he would continue to advocate transparency, accountability and inclusive development, stressing that responsible opposition was vital to democratic governance.
He maintained that Ebonyi residents deserved improved healthcare, quality education, job opportunities, agricultural development and prudent management of public resources.
Odii said he would not be intimidated into silence, adding that the people of the state would ultimately determine outcome of the 2027 governorship election.
Report recalls that Ogah, at a press conference recently accused Odii of sponsoring cyberbullying and propaganda against the Ebonyi government led by Gov. Nwifuru.
