Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday alleged that the secretary of Oredo Local Government Area, Chris Okaeben, an Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) of masterminding the attack on and abduction of Ward two chairman Egor local government area, Mr Ebomwonyi Osemwegie.
The party’s Publicity secretary, Mathew Urhogide while reacting to the alleged attack warned that the party would no longer fold its hands and watch as PDP members in the state are attacked.
However, in a swift reaction, the secretary to Oredo local government area Mr Chris Okaeben when contacted expressed shock at the allegation by the PDP adding that his members only apprehended PDP supporters buying voters card which he said have been handed over to security agents at the Police Command.
The PDP in a protest letter stated “we wish to put on notice, the Edo State Police Command operatives of the State Security Service and other law enforcement agencies that one Chris Okaeben of the ACN, in company of ACN thugs and some policemen working in complicity with them, on Wednesday July 4, 2012, attacked the Egor Ward 2 PDP members who were holding a legitimate and lawful ward meeting at No 140, Siluko Road, Benin City and abducted the Ward Chairman, Mr. Ebomwonyi Osemwegie,.
Urhoghide? called on? Chris Okaeben? and the perpetrators to immediately release their ward leader and warned that? “ Failure to do this within 24 hours, we shall mobilise our members to seek redress within the resources available to us and to bring the same measure of pressure, abuse and intimidation to the ACN in the state.
The Council’s? secretary while addressing newsmen on the issue said his life have been under constant threats by suspected PDP members whom he said are uncomfortable with the growing popularity of the? ACN in winning the July 14th governorship election.