PDP accuses opposition of harassing, killing its members in Ebonyi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised an alarm over the alleged killing and harassment of its members in Ebonyi State, for refusing to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with Governor Dave Umahi.

While addressing newsmen at the party’s secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Umahi and his henchmen have “consistently intimidated PDP leaders in the state for simply refusing to defect with him to the APC.”

Ologbondiyan noted that some of its members and leaders in the state were being harassed and accused of phoney criminal acts by the APC-led government in the state.

“On the 30th of November, 2020, one of our members, Shedrack Nwode, a native of Umuezoka, along with his fiancée, were shot dead by thugs suspected to be working for the APC, for refusing to chant ‘APC, Change’ at a traditional wedding ceremony,” the PDP spokesman said.

Continuing, he said:

“Similarly, on Friday, 4th of December, 2020, three prominent supporters of PDP from Ugwulangwu in Governor Umahi’s own Local Government Area, were arrested on trump-up charges of being cultists.

“During a recent courtesy call on the governor of Ebonyi State in Abakaliki by the Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 9, Mr. Okon, the governor openly and without any investigation, criminally accused prominent leaders of our party, including, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, Senator Sam Egwu, Chief Ali Odefa, Hon. Linus Okorie, among others, as sponsors of banditry and violence in the state.

“It is already common knowledge that agents of the Governor Umahi-led administration had gathered known cultists and thugs and armed them with dangerous weapons including pump action riffles to be unleashed on innocent citizens, particularly members of the opposition.

“These agents of APC government in Ebonyi State have also resorted to using the thugs to disrupt the meetings of our party as well as foist a reign of terror in the state, wherein thugs have taken over the streets and openly extort money from helpless motorists.

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“Only recently, a member of our party, Barr. Amos Ogbonnaya, who refused to join Governor Umahi to the APC was abducted and later released with life threatening injuries after much public outcry. He is still in the intensive care unit of a hospital.

“Though Ogbonnaya recognized his abductors as state government agents and reported to the Police and the Department of State Services, no arrests have been made to bring the perpetrators to book.

“Chief Henry C. Udeh (Ajim Best), from Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area was brutally attacked for daring to hold a PDP meeting in his own house and many valuables, including vehicles were destroyed.

“We are also in receipt of a report that a PDP member, Prince Anyigor Methuselah of Ezza North has been abducted and is reportedly being kept at the Cabinet Office of the old Government House in Ebonyi State.

“Our party further alerts Nigerians of Governor Umahi’s resort to labelling opposition voices in the state as cultists and terrorist elements as a ploy to victimize members of our party as well as incite federal security agencies against our leaders.

“It is therefore imperative for the Inspector General of Police as well as the military high command to note the antics of the Umahi-led administration in the state and take urgent steps to protect the innocent citizens so as to save the state from imminent collapse.”

By Isaac Dachen…

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