Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that some hoodlums loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, were plotting to unleash mayhem on its Director-General, Austin Igwe Edeze.
Edeze is from the same Local Government Area as the APC Governorship candidatein the state, Francis Nwifuru.
According to the PDP Council, the APC government is bitter because of Edeze’s solid profile, which would ultimately help to boost the campaign of PDP, the main opposition party in the state.
In a statement by Moses Idika, Deputy Director, Media, and Publicity, PDP Campaign Council Ebonyi State, the PDP further alleged that: “An attempt by yet-to-be-identified hoodlums had failed two nights ago when they stormed the house of the PDP Campaign DG but were repelled by vigilant security operatives attached to him.”
The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a clandestine plot by some miscreants and hoodlums hired by the APC Government in Ebonyi State to attack the Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council, Austin Igwe Edeze.
“Edeze, a popular politician in the state was appointed by the PDP Governorship Candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, as the Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council and was inaugurated on Thursday last week.
“We are aware that these evil-doers are now planning a fresh attack on Edeze.
“Edeze, a former member of the APC Board of Trustees left the party in February 2022. He contested the PDP governorship primaries and lost to Dr. Ifeanyi Odii.
“Since Edeze was appointed to lead the PDP campaign in Ebonyi State, the APC top hierarchy in the state has been downcast and jittery following the popular upsurge of support being enjoyed by the PDP with prospects of mass decamping troubling the APC.
“Therefore, we want to state categorically that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Those who resort to violence and hooliganism should count the disastrous consequences to themselves if and when we decide to play at their turf.
“Finally, we seize this opportunity to alert security agencies, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director General of the Directorate of State Services, and the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, to checkmate the evil machinations of the hired hoodlums whose planned destruction of lives and property may herald another round of bloodshed in the state.
“We request the security agencies to use their good offices to nip the evil plot in the bud to frustrate the hands of the enemies of democratic governance in Nigeria.”
Reacting, the Publicity Secretary of APC, Ebonyi State, Mr. Ogbuatu Simbad denied the allegation.
He said the PDP were merely expressing their fear over the growing political prominence of the APC across the state.
“It is a mere gimmick. Who is Edeze? If he has any problem with anybody, he should go and handle it. The PDP is afraid of our membership. They are afraid of the level and impacts of our local government campaigns.
“The allegation is false. This is not true. Nobody is plotting any attack on Edeze. We are on our LGA campaign. Let them wait till we embark on our State Campaign,” he said.
