By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied allegations that it is threatening members of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the state.

A statement signed by Abraham Amah, the Vice Chairman of the state chapter of the PDP, said allegations that it was threatening the tribunal members were designed to divert attention from “the plot to buy victory at all cost”.

While accusing the Labour Party (LP), of being behind the allegation, the PDP urged the tribunal to go ahead and dispense its ruling without fear or intimidation.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Abia PDP has been drawn to a statement from a section of the media wherein the Abia Labour party and its agents reportedly alleged that the Abia PDP is threatening the Abia Election Petition Tribunal from delivering a judgement that is not favourable to the PDP.

“Above all, it is aimed at diverting attention from their heinous plot to buy victory at all cost

“The Abia PDP is a responsible, law abiding corporate citizen that has never and would never threaten the judiciary.

“We have been through this road and are inclined to believe that it is actually the Labour Party that is crying wolf or trying to instigate anxiety in the polity through this scare mongering tactics being that this is the first time it is facing legitimacy questions arising from its own failures.

“As further proof that Abia PDP would never threaten the tribunal, Abia PDP will support the tribunal to go ahead and borrow from instances where Tribunal members were threatened or felt so, and had to deliver its judgement via Secure Virtual Platforms such as Zoom.

“As a law abiding citizen, the Abia PDP calls on the tribunal to dispense justice without fear of intimidation, molestation or harassment from any quarters no matter how highly placed because Abians and the constitution have reposed their trust in them with the hope that justice would be served in the end”, the PDP Vice Chairman, Abraham Amah said in the press release.”

Recall that the Abia State government had earlier on Tuesday denied sponsoring the election petition tribunal case of Mr Peter Obi, the LP presidential candidate, as alleged by a group of persons.

The Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, who issued a statement on Tuesday, also denied the claims by a group that the state government was sponsoring the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to cause problems in Abia.

Although he did not mention names, Ekeoma alleged that two political parties who are presently challenging Otti’s electoral victory are believed to have sponsored the groups that made the allegations against the government.

The media aide further called on security agencies to invite those behind the allegations to explain their claims.

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