By Tony Adibe
The Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on other political parties existing in the state to avoid making unguarded and inciting statements that could endanger peace and security of lives and property of residents of the state.
The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Jude Ugwu, described the publication in some national dailies of Tuesday September 28, 2022, alleging politically motivated violence in the state, and sponsored by the Labour Party’s (LP) National Vice Chairman, South-East, Mr. Innocent Okeke, as misleading and spurious, saying the publication is aimed at impugning the hard-earned reputation of the PDP in the state.
The release made available to NewsBits, stated that Enugu State has not only remained the safest haven for Ndigbo, but has evolved into an impregnable fortress of peace and safety for all law-abiding citizens of the country.
Chief Ugwu said that the PDP in the state was focused on issue-based campaigns that resonate with the cravings of the masses ahead of the 2023 general elections and advised other political parties in the state to avoid heating up the polity with mischievously concocted narratives in search of political capital.
The release states: “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party, Enugu State chapter has been drawn to a publication alleging politically motivated violence, sponsored by the Labour Party’s National Vice Chairman (S-East) Mr. Innocent Okeke, on some of the National Dailies on Tuesday the September 28, 2022.
“The misleading, spurious and incendiary piece was done with an intent to impugn the hard-earned reputation of the Enugu State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party. Silence would have been golden, but we need to deconstruct the strange garb in which these repeated lies have been cloaked, less the public be deceived. Such unfounded and outlandish claims are at best desperately misleading, grossly infantile, and inviolably betrays an echo of deafening mediocrity.
“It is evidently an affront to the people’s collective sensibilities in the face of the nation’s multifaceted security concerns. The country is in dire straits, bleeding profusely under the weight and proliferation of restiveness, unbridled violence, incessant kidnappings, senseless killings, and economic quagmire. Unfortunately, the Southeast geo-political zone glaringly under siege, has had more than its fair share from ruthless, gun-toting, marauding non-state actors killing without boundaries.
“Despite the spirited efforts and unwavering commitment of the State Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, Enugu State cannot be said to have been completely insulated from this menacing threat confronting the Southeast.
“It is an indisputable fact that the leadership of the party in the state has through some proactive, robust and measured interventions stoutly defended the frontiers of the state; winning plenitude of accolades on security in the process. Safe for pockets of security breaches in which the PDP had been chiefly targeted with various degrees of casualties, Enugu has not only remained the safest haven for Ndigbo but has evolved into an impregnable fortress of peace and safety for all law-abiding citizens of the country.
“From Obeagu community in Enugu South LGA, Amodu Awkunanaw, and Akpugo in Nkanu west LGA, to Awgu and Igbeze North LGAs, the PDP has suffered various degrees of injuries culminating in the death of a number of supporters of the party in the wake of mutating national security challenges.
“It, therefore, mangles all logics, defies all imagination, and bellies all credulity that a perceived responsible zonal party leader would prefer the route of cheap blackmail, and perfidious mendacity in an elusive search for cheap popularity. Such premeditated lies in the face of expository video clips pointing to the contrary could only be a recipe for electoral disaster for his party and a disdainful insolence to the sensibilities of Ndi-Enugu.
“Will a leader that truly believes in the capacity of his party to win election, develop a state and elevate the lives of the citizens take the ignoble voyage of de-marketing the same state via politics of calumny, smear campaign and deceitful propaganda especially when sacred human life is involved? Isn’t he bothered about the toll of supreme sacrifice even our gallant military have also had to pay as a consequence?
“While The Peoples Democratic Party, Enugu Chapter is rather focused on issue-based campaigns that resonate with the cravings of the masses and continually strives to keep the bar of statecraft above a pedestrian level, the rest of the parties are enjoined to avoid heating up the polity with mischievously concocted narratives in search of political capital.
“We call on the security agencies to keep an eagle eye on these mischief makers peddling dangerous lies for selfish gains even as they must be warned to desist from such ignominious misadventures.”
