Thugs attack APC Chairmanship candidate in Ebonyi

— The All Progressive Congress ( APC) in Ebonyi State have condemned the

attack on it’s Ivo locla government area Chairmanship candidate, Bro

Kelechi Okorie in last weekends council elections in Ebonyi state by

thugs suspecting to be working for the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr Okorie and his supporters were attacked in Akaeze by hoodlums

numbering over fifteen when he tried to resist a member of the PDP

from stuffing ove two hundred thumb printed ballot papers into the

ballot box.

This led to a violent confrontation between the two political party’s

loyalists and the hoodlums who were already stationed close by,

immediately descended on him with all kinds of weapons incluing

matchets, clubs, rods, stones etc.

A statement by an eyewitness and Bro Okorie’s aide, Prince Williams

Ajah said the Chairmanship candidate narrowlly “escaped being killed

in his Toyota Camry (spider) car by the assailants which was smashed

beyond recognition in the process”

The statement said Bro Okorie and some of his supporters whosustained

varying degress  of injuries from theattack were later feried out of

the state to an undisclosed hospital where he is currently

recuperating from the trauma of the ugly incident.

The group alleged that theelectionswas anything but free and fair as

it was characterised by massive irregularities in fabourof the ruling

party in thestate, PDP.

“For as long as we are concerned theelections was fraught with so much

irregularities especially ballot box stuffing and allotment of

undeserved votes to the candidates of the ruling party (PDP) despite

the assurances and directives of the state governor, Engr David Umahi,

that all political parties and candidates in theelection be given a

level playing field”.

The statement claimed that for the massive irregularities perpetrated

by electoral officcers in connivance with security agencies especially

the army and police, the APC would have won the Ivo council polls with

a landslide victory.

The party called on its supporters in the council to remain calm and

law abiding as it will take appropriate actions to bring all those

involved in the dastardly act to justice even as it vowed to challenge

the election results in cout.

“Our legal team have also been briefed and mobilised and appropriate

action are being taken to redress the matter. All those involved

involved in the matter will soon be served”, concluded the statement.

But Chairman of the PDP in the state, Onyekachi Nwebonyi debunked the

allegations by the APC.

“Our supporters are law abiding and didn’t do anything of the sort. It

is an afterthought and attention seeking effort by the candidate”, he said. 

Ends

 

Leadership Newspaper