The Department of Security Services has arrested the senatorial candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance for Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh.
Umeh was invited to the office of the DSS at Amawbia, Anambra State for questioning at about 11 am on Thursday, according to family sources.
His arrest came shortly after APGA supporters jubilated in Awka, the state capital, on Thursday following the Court of Appeal’s verdict in favour of Umeh.
Umeh’s opponent in the March 28, 2015 senatorial election, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, of the Peoples Democratic Party had approached the appeal court in Enugu to review its judgment of December 7 that nullified her (Ekwunife’s) election.
But the court on Thursday struck out Ekwunife’s petition, while maintaining that there “must be an end to litigation.”
It was learnt that the DSS told Umeh that they had received petitions that he was a supporter of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Umeh’s spokesman Stan Okeke confirmed the arrest.
s Okeke said Umeh was accused of sponsoring activities of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He Accused Uche Ekwunife, Umeh’s arch-rival, of writing a petition against the APGA chieftain. Umeh contested the Anambra central senatorial election in 2015 but lost to Ekwunife, who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He challenged her victory from the tribunal to the appeal court, which set aside the election and ordered a rerun. Umeh was looking forward to the poll before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended it indefinitely. INEC based its action on a court order obtained by the PDP, which was initially excluded from the exercise. The secret police has reportedly flown Umeh to Abuja, where he will be questioned.
Umeh had last week accused former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, of plotting to stop him.
Umeh, who spoke with reporters at Ichida, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state during a campaign rally, alleged that Obi and others were doing everything to stop him from the rerun.
He said, “Since 2012, Obi has been plotting my downfall. But God has been thwarting his evil plans against me because God knew how many battles I fought to sustain him (Obi) in office.
“I don’t bear any grudges against him, but he has continued to fight me, covertly and overtly.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ali Okechukwu, was quoted in a report as saying that he was not aware of Umeh’s arrest.
