Enugu 2023: PDP responds to Labour Party’s allegation of plot to destabilise election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has responded to the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the state, Chijioke Edeoga’s allegation that they (PDP) were plotting to destabilise the 18 March governorship and state assembly elections in the state.

The LP candidate alleged that the PDP had hired thugs who were “being armed and prepared to operate freely, appearing in police, army and civil defence uniforms,” to enjoy free movement across the state during the elections.

He also accused the PDP-led state government of diverting weapons procured for vigilante groups and other security agencies to the hired thugs who have been paid to destabilise and rig the elections for the PDP.

Reacting on Monday, the spokesperson of the PDP Campaign Council in the state, Nana Ogbodo, said the LP was suffering from an “inability to manage” its victories during the 25 February National Assembly elections in the state.

The LP won seven of the eight House of Representatives seats in Enugu State. It also won one out of the two senatorial districts where elections took place on 25 February.

“We won’t condescend to join issues with the Enugu Labour Party, which has been understandably unable to manage its unexpected success at the 25th February National Assembly election.

“It is a fact that whatever victories they scored were not predicated on the strength or popularity of their candidates, most of whom are either perennial losers or unknown quantities, buts rather on the popularity of one man, who will not be on the ballot on 18 March,” Mr Ogbodo said in a statement.

“In any case, we thank the Enugu LP for letting us into their grand designs to unleash terror on Enugu people and massively rig the electoral process as announced by the LP Senator-elect for Enugu North Senatorial District, Chief Okey Ezea, who declared the forthcoming governorship election in the state as a ‘do or die’ affair,” he added.

The campaign spokesperson said the PDP had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali (IGP) over the alleged threat by Mr Ezea, which he said the LP was yet to condemn, several weeks after.

READ ALSO: Lagos2023: PDP members protest alleged intimidation by traditional rulerHe said the party has asked the IGP and heads of other security agencies “not to spare any troublemaker plotting deaths and mayhem” in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections in the state.

The PDP, however, failed to address some of the allegations made by the LP candidate.

The PDP, for instance, was silent on the allegation that it had hired armed thugs who would appear in police, army and civil defence uniforms to disrupt the election in selected council areas believed to be the strongholds of the LP candidate.

It did not also respond to the allegation that the state government, which is being controlled by the PDP, had diverted weapons procured for vigilante groups and other security agencies to their alleged hired thugs.