PDP accuses APC-led govt. of masterminding attacks on members
Jacob Ogodo, Abakaliki
The Peoples Democratic Party, Ebonyi state Chapter has accused the All Progressive Congress APC led government in the state of masterminding attacks on its members across the state that had led to the deaths of some of them and loss of their properties.
As a case in point, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the Member representing Ishielu South State Constituency, Hon Lukas Arinze, on Tuesday night, led some thugs who attacked members of the PDP at Umuezeoka Ezza Ntezi in Ishielu LGA of the State.
In a statement signed by the Party’s Publicity Secretary, Barr Silas Onu, he alleged that the Lawmakers alongside his thugs beat up PDP members and damaged their properties during the attacks.
According to the PDP, we have been silent in spite of all the recent provocations simply out of respect and courtesy to the Catholic ArchBishop of Abakaliki.
Recall that the Catholic ArchBishop of Abakaliki, Michael Nnachi Okoro, and the founding fathers of the State, recently waded into the feud between Umahi and the leaders of the PDP in the state.
The PDP, in the statement, further accused security agencies of compromise in the attacks against its members in the state.
They Party however, warned that it would not continued to tolerate such intimidations and attacks on its members, saying “enough is enough! If the Governor doesn’t want the respect that we have accorded him thus far, then we are ready to all defend ourselves in the face of this imminent danger caused by desperate political desires of one man.”
The statement reads in part, “Last night, we received a terrible report of the unwarranted attack on our members in Umuezeoka Ezza Ntezi, under the direct leadership of Hon. Arinze Lukas, the member Representing Ishielu South State Constituency in the House of Assembly.
“He led his thugs, clearly with the Governor’s approval, as he is a known loyalist of the Governor, to beat up our members and damage their properties. This shameful incident took place at about 11pm on 12 January, 2021.
“We have been silent inspite of all the recent provocations simply out of respect and courtesy to the Catholic ArchBishop of Abakaliki.
“If the Governor is not directly involved in the attack that took place last night, we would have seen the security agencies making some arrest by now, starting with the member of House of Assembly who led the attack. But, because the security agencies also kowtow to the Governor, nothing is expected to happen.
“We will continue to count this infractions and the failures of the security agencies to protect Ebonyians from their own government.”
But when contacted, Hon. Lukas Arinze denied the allegation, saying the incident had nothing to do with him.
The Lawmaker further explained that available information to him, indicated that the issue had nothing do with politics, but a land dispute.
“It is not true. The issue does not concern me, and it has nothing to with politics. I was told the matter was as a result of a land dispute”, Lukas said
