The Labour Party governorship candidate in Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga, has tasked Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on the need to ensure violence free elections on Saturday, saying failure will be blamed on him.
He stated that the desperation, which has characterised the contest by members of the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), since the last elections won by the Labour Party, is threatening the state’s polity, insisting that the electorate should be allowed to freely choose their leaders.
He said: “We use this forum to appeal to our governor, in his best interest, to think of leaving office with honour and respect, because anything untoward, be it deaths, injuries and destruction of property in coming election, will be blamed on him as the chief security officer of the state.
“I hope his exit will not be trailed by mayhem, bloodshed and avoidable controversies, especially when these are targeted at his own senatorial zone. No wise person brings war to his people. So, we ask the governor to pause and stay back so that the people will choose their governor and House of Assembly members.
“He should intervene and call members of his party to play by the rules.”
Edeoga, who addressed reporters in Enugu, yesterday, stated that threats in Saturday’s elections are real, alleging that armed thugs have been imported into the state, and camped at various locations to disrupt the elections by PDP.
He added: “In Isiuzo Council, at the Weekend, a combined team of military and police officials, after due surveillance, swooped on a government guest house, where heavily armed imported mercenaries were arrested. They were kept for sometime at the Divisional Police Office, and later moved to the state police headquarters.”
Reacting, Spokesperson to the PDP Campaign Council in the state, Nana Ogbodo, noted that the fever, which had come over LP since it recorded some unexpected and fleeting victories in the National Assembly Elections through a bandwagon effect of the presidential election would be cured by the discerning Enugu State electorate on Saturday.
