Ebonyi: Suspected Political Thugs Attack APGA Members, Destroy Chairs and Canopies

Suspected political thugs have reportedly attacked members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at Okposhi Ward in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, destroying chairs and canopies and disrupting a gathering organised to receive a party chieftain.

The incident reportedly occurred when Prince Emeka Irem, APGA’s candidate for the Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, paid a courtesy visit to his ward chairman.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the suspected attackers stormed the venue, vandalised chairs and canopies, and chased away party supporters who had gathered to welcome Irem.

The source described the incident as an attack on the rights of political parties to organise peaceful gatherings and called on the Ebonyi State Government to intervene.

The eyewitness also urged Governor Francis Nwifuru to address the reported attacks on opposition party members in the Ezza clan, warning that failure to act could worsen political tensions in the area.

The source maintained that political disagreements should be settled through democratic processes rather than violence.

“Politics is not war. Every candidate has the right to visit his ward, his people and his chairman without fear of molestation. If anyone has a disagreement or a different political interest, the best way is to go to the ballot and not to the battlefield,” the eyewitness said.

The source appealed to political stakeholders, youth leaders, security agencies and community elders in Ezza North to condemn the incident and work towards preventing a recurrence.

The reported attack occurred barely 48 hours after a separate incident involving the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Ezza South State Constituency, Rollins Offia Nwali, which reportedly resulted in two deaths.

The series of incidents has raised concerns about the safety of political actors and supporters in parts of Ebonyi State as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

Meanwhile, a resident of the state, Sir Chinedu Anyigor, has called on Governor Nwifuru, security chiefs, the chairmen of Ezza North and Ezza South local government areas, and traditional rulers in the Ezza clan to take urgent steps to address the reported political violence.

In a statement made available to journalists, Anyigor urged the two local government chairmen to caution their supporters and prevent the situation from escalating.

He warned against turning the Ezza clan into a theatre of political violence, stressing that no political ambition was worth the loss of human lives or destruction of property.

Anyigor also appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to intervene in the interest of peace and stability.

In a related development, the Labour Party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Comrade Eze Oko Splendour, has challenged an alleged ban on political gatherings in Ezza South Local Government Area, describing the move as unconstitutional.

In an open letter addressed to the council chairman, Hon. Chinedu Mkpuma, Oko argued that the chairman lacked the authority to prohibit peaceful political meetings.

He maintained that residents and political parties had the right to assemble peacefully and warned against actions capable of intimidating opposition members.

Oko also alleged that statements attributed to some political leaders had contributed to growing tension in the state. However, the allegations concerning the reported restrictions on political gatherings and the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not been independently verified.

The Labour Party candidate called on security agencies to provide adequate protection for political parties during meetings and other lawful activities across Ebonyi State.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Ebonyi State Government, the affected local government chairmen or security agencies regarding the reported attack on APGA members.