Stakeholders caution Ezea against politics of rancour

By Raphael Ede

Enugu

Stakeholders of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Igboeze-South LGA of Enugu State have advised former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Okey Ezea, to have a rethink and drop his politics of rancour and violence.
The spokesman of stakeholders, Mr Martins Ugwueze, representing Igboeze-South in the Enugu State House of Assembly, said this in Nsukka at a briefing where the stakeholders decried the APC’s war-like posture in every situation.
Ugwueze described as unfounded baseless and deliberate attempt to blackmail the PDP supporters in the area following recent allegation by Ezea that he was kidnapped and attacked by key stakeholders of the party in Igboeze South during the November 4, council poll in Enugu State.
“Neither the Commissioner of Transport in Enugu State, Mr Vitus Okechi, Mr Sunday Emeka Ajiogwu, the Vice-chairman elect of Igboeze South LGA nor any PDP member attacked Ezea during the Nov 4 Enugu State council poll.
“The PDP stakeholders want to put the record straight that no PDP member in Igboeze South LGA attacked Ezea before, during or after November 4, council election in Enugu State as the election was free and fair,” he said.
The spokesman asked why the PDP stakeholders would attack Ezea when he was part of stakeholders from Igboeze South at Ikenga Hotel in Nsukka that endorsed Mr Fide Odo the PDP candidate as well as was the one that nominated the PDP councillorship candidate in his Itchi Uwani ward 1 for the November 4, council poll in Enugu State.
“We, the stakeholders, are surprise that the same Ezea, who endorsed the PDP chairmanship candidate and asked to be allowed to produce councillor candidate in his ward, is later mischievously alleged that the PDP attacked him.
“Why on earth would we attack Ezea when 99 per cent of Igboeze South LGA are PDP and the PDP has been winning elections in the area since 1999,” he said
According to him, instead it was Ezea that unleashed mayhem with his political thugs on voters in various polling units and at Itchi Uwani ward 1 where he personally beat up one, Mrs Victoria Ugwueze, the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) official, who was later hospitalised for treatment as result of injuries she sustained from the physical on her,” he said.
The lawmaker urged the APC national leadership to consider giving Ezea appointment so that he would stop fomenting and causing problems in Igboeze South as some of his actions might be as result of frustrations.
“The PDP stakeholders are begging the APC national leadership to as matter of urgency to consider giving appointment to Ezea as it would perhaps help to reduce his frustration as well as prevent him from causing more problems in Igboeze South,” he said.
Mr. Dom Ezema, Mrs Easter Aneke, Mrs Regina Ugwuja, Mr Christoper Omaha and Mrs Victoria Ugwueze in their separate comments during the briefing narrated their encounter with Ezea in the past elections as well as alleged how he used his thugs to attack them.
“I appeal to government to do something on those who attack electoral officials on duty because if those who attacked them are not punished I envisage the probability in the near future when people will refuse to assist to work as electoral officers,” Ukwueze said.

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