The campaign team of the 2019 state governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Divine Mandate Organization, has been attacked, leaving former Deputy Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Mrs. Dorothy Obasi and unascertained number others injured by thugs suspected to be hired by the opposition political party in the area.

The Director General of the Governor David Umahi’s campaign organisation, Engineer Fidelis Nwankwo in a press conference on Friday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, said that the attack happened at Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state on the occasion of their rally. He described it as an indication that the police which was supposed to ensure their security has failed in their responsibility.

Nwankwo explained that they were attacked at the home town of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, alleged that the APC could have orchestrated the attack, pointed out that the rally was the 12th embarked upon by the PDP out of the 13 local government areas of the state. He questioned why it could only be at the APC candidate’s home that such could happen.

Nwankwo, a former Minister of State for Health, addressed the press in the company of some stakeholders of the state including former Deputy Governor Chigozie Ogbu and Senator Ngiji Ngele. He noted that the citizens of the state could resort to self defence should it become obvious that the security agents were not disposed to giving them the protection they deserve.

He warned that violence was not the exclusive reserve of the APC, though urged residents of the state to remain law abiding.

“As a procession of the Divine Mandate Organization headed to Edda for its rally, a bunch of APC thugs were mobilised and violently set upon the PDP procession which was lawfully and legitimately going about their business. The law abiding citizens were molested, beaten and harassed by these mindless street men. Wanton destruction was also inflicted on vehicles and property of the PDP faithful whose only crime was to express their freedom of association and political affliction,” he stated.

Nwankwo explained that before the latest assault the posters and bill boards of the PDP in Ebonyi State were defaced, torn and pulled down by those suspected to be APC associates, noted that it was the ploy of the APC to provoke them to retaliation as to cause breaches in the conduct of the elections.

He added: “It has been rumoured that votes running into hundreds of thousands have already been allocated to the APC gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi state. It is speculated that results of the forthcoming election will be written either prior or during the elections, thereby disenfranchising the voters of Ebonyi State. We must issue a stern warning to the INEC and security agencies that the perpetration of such electoral fraud will be met with total resistance in Ebonyi State.”

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