By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has uncovered plans by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt March 11, 2023 gubernatorial and state Houses of Assembly elections in the state.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Director, Media and Publicity, PDP campaign council, Chief Abia Onyike, PDP said that the ruling party is not prepared for a democratic competition.

PDP alleged that “APC leaders and chieftains have boasted that anybody who comes out on Saturday and refuses to vote for their party will be killed saying that it’s a terrible and strange development in the history of elections in Nigeria.”

“We seize this opportunity to alert the security agencies in the state to forestall the breakdown of law and order because of the excesses of these political gangsters.

The leading oppositeion further revealed that the party has it on good authority that they have imported thugs known as the “Warriors” from Kogi State planning to replicate the same thing in Ezza North and in Izzi Land,” the statement said.

PDP alleged that this time APC is planning to rope in the party’s Governorship Candidate Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii.

“We condemn the killing of innocent citizens and Traditional Rulers in the state, all in the name of the quest for power.

“Ebonyi State requires peace and tranquility. Let the citizens be allowed the freedom to elect leaders of their choice. That is the essence of a democratic election.

“Those who kill or mobilise thugs and arm them to kill our people are worse than evil desperados. They are the purveyors of falsehood and corruption.

“They had all the opportunities to offer good governance, but instead they preferred their private pockets. Now that the day of reckoning has come, and realizing that they have lost legitimacy and electoral value, they are running from pillar to post to terrorize the citizenry in order to steal their electoral mandate by force. This is the most shameful act ever committed against a free people,” PDP said.

The statement appealed to Ebonyians to come out en-masse and vote for candidates of their choice adding Governor Umahi and his foot soldiers cannot stop the popular will of the people.