Aba residents were stunned this morning as they woke up to behold caskets dropped at various points in the commercial city with a threat that those who will not vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, in Saturday’s supplementary elections will die.

Though no one has come out to identify who carried out the bizzare act, it is being suspected that it might be the handiwork of PDP zealots or members of the opposition who want to push the electorate in Aba to cast protest votes against PDP in the April 25 supplementary election in the state.

In the April 11 governorship poll, the electorate in Aba preferred the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr Alex Otti, who came tops in Aba North and Aba South local government areas. The two councils are expected to yield about 70,000 votes in the supplementary elections.

Ikpeazu has vehemently denied having any link with those who may have dropped the coffins. In a statement issued in Umuahia this morning and endorsed by his Personal Assistant, Enyinnaya Appolos, the PDP standard bearer distanced himself from the perpetrators, describing the incident as dastardly act and handiwork of the opposition.

The statement made available to News Express reads: “The attention of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Abia State, has been drawn to the ugly incident witnessed in Aba this morning, where caskets are being dropped at various places in Aba, with a threat that those who will not vote for Dr. Ikpeazu and the PDP in the Saturday’s supplementary election will die.

“Dr Okezie is by this means dissociating himself from such dastardly act, and also informs Abians and the general public that such is the handiwork of the opposition who have shown their desperation in various ways since the beginning of the governorship contest.

“Dr. Okezie is, however, assuring Aba people who have always supported him not to be deterred by the intimidation from Alex Otti and his party, APGA, urging Ndi Aba and Abians in the wards and polling units where the supplementary election will hold on Saturday to come out and vote him as they did on April 11.

“Dr. Ikpeazu is also urging the Aba business community to go about their lawful business without any fear of molestations.”

This is coming on the heels of a recent denial by Ukwa/Nkwa leaders that the Ngwa were hatching a plot to deal with non-indigenes if Ikpeazu eventually wins the governorship contest.

The Ngwa leaders, mostly traditional rulers said the rumour was malicious and intended to portray the Ngwa as inhospitable, insisting that there was no iota of truth in the rumour.

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