The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo state chapter has expressed worries as no arrest has so far been made by the state government od security agencies following the brutal attack on the residence of the party’s candidate for Ideato federal constituency, and spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere
This is as the former president and the Nigerian senate and governor of Kwara state, Abubakar Bukola Saraki has described the attack, which completely razed down the residence of Ugochinyere at Akokwa, Ideato North Local Government Area, as a wrong sign ahead of the upcoming general elections
PDP state Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, expressed the party’s while speaking with newsmen in Owerri on Sunday, following the attack that reportedly claimed the lives of three people, including Ugochinyere’s uncle
The PDP recalled that there were threatening incidents, messages and phone calls that took place earlier before the attack on Ikenga and that the security agencies should investigate and arrest the suspects.
According to the party, “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has condemned in the strongest terms the attack on Barr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the candidate of the Party for Ideato Federal Constituency in the February 25th, 2023 elections.
“At noon of yesterday, January 14, 2023, a heavily armed convoy of three vehicles invaded the residence of Ikenga Ugochinyere in Akokwa, and hell was let loose. Three persons were shot dead. Among them was an uncle to Ikenga Ugochinyere. Our candidate escaped death by a whisker. No fewer than thirty-two vehicles were burnt to ashes. Buildings were levelled to the ground with explosives. It was a horrible scene of total warfare.
“Our Party notes that this very sad but deliberate, viciously-intentions attack is an attempt by the usurpers of our mandate to intimidate and silence Imo PDP, which is the darling of the people. Also, that Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere stands out in pro-democracy struggles in Nigeria is one thing these undemocratic elements in Imo State cannot tolerate.
“It is, therefore, telling that the forces of darkness in Imo chose to mark the third anniversary of their January 14th, 2020 imposition through blood and fire, and by their failed plot to eliminate Ikenga Ugochinyere, one of democracy’s strongest defenders. This is not the Imo of our dreams!”
“Consequently, as law-abiding citizens, we call on security to rise to the occasion and immediately investigate these attacks and bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book,” PDP said.
Condemning the attack, former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki described it as wrong signal coming with barely one month to the 2023 general elections
Saraki in a statement regretted that the situation which looked like a targeted attack on the home of a candidate in the coming elections was a sad commentary on the nation’s democracy.
“Coming a few weeks to the general elections and given the recent experiences of the CUPP spokesman and House of Representatives candidate of our great party, the PDP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, there is the general belief that the attack is politically motivated and that those who want to return the nation’s democracy to the dark era are at work.
“I call on the security agencies in Imo State to ensure they get to the bottom of these attacks and unveil the perpetrators and their sponsors while also ensuring they face the wrath of the law.
“Such criminal acts if not properly investigated and pursued conclusively not only send wrong signals about the coming elections to the local and international communities, it also encouraged other evil minds to repeat such unlawful acts.
“The security agencies and the government of Imo State must reassure our people that such uncivilized acts of arson, murder, disturbance of public peace, and invasion of privacy have no place in a decent society like ours and they must be strongly deterred”, Saraki stated.
