The Imo State chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for his silence over the alleged plot to assassinate its member and spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Barr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere.
The party also alerted Nigerians that for the third time in less than two months, there was another bloody attack on February 7, 2023 at the residence of Ugochinyere, who is the PDP candidate for Ideato North/South federal constituency in the 2023 elections.
The party said eyewitnesses were very exact and unanimous that the hooded attackers were allegedly members of the State-backed Ebubeagu Militia Force, who were said to have been stationed in Akokwa recently.
A statement signed by State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Collins Opurozor, said: “This latest attack, apart from its core objective to assassinate Ikenga Ugochinyere, was also contrived to intimidate his supporters and weaken the resolve of Ideato people who are fully determined to elect Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere as member of the House of Representatives at the polls on February 25th, 2023.”
He recalled that on December 23, 2022, the convoy of Ugochinyere was attacked as he returned home from Abuja, and he narrowly escaped death. On January 14, 2023, his residence in Umukegwu-Akokwa witnessed a bloody onslaught that left three persons, including his uncle, dead, 32 vehicles burnt to ashes and buildings levelled to the ground with explosives.
“Today, the state-sanctioned terrorists who rode in a convoy of vehicles that included an armoured personnel carrier returned to the very same residence with even more audacity, unleashing mayhem on the buildings and letting loose bell upon everyone at sight. We are yet to establish the casualties,
“It is to be stated unequivocally that the attacks on Ugochinyere began immediately after he exposed the widespread compromise of the INEC voter register. This is what is now known as the Omuma Magic. Appointees of Senator Hope Uzodmmma, particularly one Chinasa Nwaneri, had telephoned Ikenga and threatened to deal mercilessly with him whenever he would be sighted in Imo State. Since then, Ikenga Ugochinyere has come under attacks which have gulped human lives and assets valued in billions of Naira.
“What our party finds deeply disturbing is that President Muhammadu Buhari’s and the Federal Government have remained silent over these continuous bloody attacks on our candidate by ostensible agents of the Imo APC regime.
“We are aware that Ugochinyere has written series of petitions to various security agencies and also to the National Security Adviser, yet Aso Rock has not deemed it necessary to call the rampaging petty-dictator in Imo to order
“Our Party holds very strongly that the President has abdicated his duty as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, thereby enabling desperate political actors within the APC in Imo to terrorize the State and mow down perceived political foes as it pleases them.
“Imo PDP considers mind-boggling that despite our demand for the arrest and prosecution Chinasa Nwaneri who revealed the intention of the Uzodimma-led regime to attack Ikenga prior to these attacks, the Federal Government and security agencies never paid heed to our calls.
“More worrisome is the fact that despite our calls for the disbandment of Ebubeagu Militia, redeployment of heads of security agencies who are in bed with the immoral administration of Senator Uzodinma, and the establishment of an independent panel of inquiry to unravel Imo killings, nothing has been done by the Federal Government.”
The PDP, therefore, urged Ideato people and party members and supporters of Ugochinyere to stand strong and “never allow forces of darkness prevail over the land.”
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