Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo state governor, says the murder of Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is an attempt to create discord between northerners and south-easterners.
The former aide of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was shot dead on Sunday while on his way to the airport in Owerri, Imo state capital.
In a statement, the Ondo state governor described his killing as “one murder too many”.
Akeredolu said the perpetrators are “enemies of this country” whose objective is to “mislead, confuse and destroy”.
He called on the southeast governors “to brace up and confront the current security challenges” in the region.
The statement reads: “The news of the death of an APC chieftain and former Special Adviser on Political Matters in the last Administration, Ahmed Gulak, in Owerri, Imo State, this morning, is very shocking and disturbing. The details of the tragic incident remain sketchy. A press statement credited to the Imo State Police Command claimed that some bandits were responsible for the gruesome murder of a man who was a visitor to the State. This is unacceptable.
“This is one murder too many. It is senseless and wicked. The perpetrators of this heinous act are enemies of this country. This contrivance is meant to mislead, confuse and destroy. It bears the unmistakable, despicable imprints of fifth columnists bent on setting the country on the path of conflagration. These criminals must not be allowed to succeed.
“We want to use this medium to express our solidarity with our brother Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma. We admonish him and other Governors in the South Eastern States to brace up, and confront the current security challenge to put an end to the bloodbath in the land. The enemies of the people always employ the weapon of fear to create disaffection in the polity.
“This cowardly act is calculated to instigate Nigerians against each other, particularly Northerners, against the Igbo living outside the South East. We must confront the enemies of the people with a view to neutralizing them. This is definitely not the time for political correctness. Banditry should not be allowed to subvert the legitimacy of the current Government at all levels.
“We call on all security agencies to collaborate with a view to unveiling the criminal elements sponsoring and undertaking terrorist acts. they must be punished, severely.”
Following Gulak’s death, the police had said he did not inform them before leaving his hotel and also noted that he was heading to the airport without any security escort.
