The Ikeoha Campaign Organization on Friday in a press conference at Enugu cried out against the resurgence of thugs and electoral violence in Enugu State while raising alarm on the vicious attacks against its members in some communities across the state.
The organization whose members are staunch supporters of the foremost contender for Enugu State governorship seat, the Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in the press statement signed by its Director General, Hon. Charles Ogbo Asogwa, and its Director of Manifesto, Dr. Austin Okolie, listed a myriad of attacks against its members by identified individuals.
On 16th March 2022, supporters of the organization were intimidated and harassed by an alleged agents of state, including the detention in prison of many for baseless offences including Paulinus Ugwu, the PDP Ward Chairman for Okpatu.
Recall that the Ikeoha Organization had earlier raised the alarm that known deadly thugs and cultists were appointed into state and local government offices all in the bid to intimidate and stop Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
There was also a savage attacked at the 9 April 2022 monthly meeting of the Aninri Local Government Area Chapter of the PDP allegedly orchestrated by the Council Chairman, Benedeth Ajah and others, which left the Member representing Aninri State Constituency, Hon. Chinedu Okwu and others seriously injured and hospitalized.
In the said attack there is a video evidence where the attackers alleged they were “sponsored by the State and Local Government”.
The level of violence against the Senator Ekweremadu support group escalated during the 30th April 2022 Ward Congress, despite reports to the state Governor and security agencies on the previous attacks. At Oduma Ward 4, the Deputy Ward Chairman, Mr. Boniface Egwu (aka Egwueji) with an alleged “order from above” led scores of political bandits, operating on motorbikes, to attack and disrupt the congress at Community Primary School, Ohafia Oduma, Aninri LGA.
He eventually gave a supporter, Barr. Ekpete Ejikeme, a machete cut on the head.
Also attempts were made on the life of the DG Ikeoha Campaign Organization, Hon. Asogwa, at Ede Oballa, Nsukka LGA when thugs invaded his country home to attack him. According to the press release, On the same day, the Council Chairman of Awgu LGA, Pedro Nwankwo, led thugs and cultists to attack and disrupt an otherwise smooth process at his ward, Awgu Ward 2. Party faithful, including the Chairman of the PDP in Awgu LGA, Mr. Okey Udeh, were manhandled and their phones confiscated.
Ekweremadu’s supporters were also viciously attacked at Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike, Igboeze North LGA, and Agba Umanna Ward, Ezeagu LGA, where a House of Assembly aspirant, Barr. Destiny Chukwudi Nnagbo, was seen in a video clip freely wielding a pump action riffle at the venue of the ward Congress.
The organization therefore wondered why security agencies appear to be complacent while political violence continues unabated in the state. It recalled that Senator IKe Ekweremadu, had severally called on the PDP leadership to ensure a free, fair, transparent, and therefore credible process so that whoever emerges the party’s flag bearer will be embraced by all as one big family.
The Ikeoha Campaign Organization therefore wondered why violence was visited on an otherwise peaceful process and argued as follows:

“Clearly, the attacks were part of the unsuccessful attempts by people, who decided to play against the rule, to scuttle the actual legitimate process. Because they were not prepared for any congress; because they confiscated the result sheets, such that not a single result sheet could be found in any of the 260 Wards of Enugu State; because they were more interested in submitting a prepared list. They attacked our supporters, who came out in their numbers to do the right (thing) in line with the Constitution and Guideline of the PDP, they were surprised that PDP faithfuls trouped out in their numbers to do the right. Despite the attempts to stop them in some places, they still went ahead to exercise their democratic (rights).
“Therefore, we believe that much of these acts of violence could have been averted if the state party leadership and the panel dispatched by the PDP national leadership to oversee the process ensured transparency and due compliance with the PDP Constitution and Guideline. Had everyone interested in serving as a delegate and their sponsors and supporters been instructed to go to the field; had the result sheets been made available at the 260 Wards for transparent recording and signing of the results, there would probably not have been any need to try to assault, harass, and intimidate law-abiding party faithful who filed out to the designated venues to do the right thing.
“Gentlemen of the press, we make bold to say that although the supporters and associates of Senator Ike Ekweremadu are currently at the receiving end of the resurgence of political thuggery and violence in Enugu State, political banditry remains an ill wind that blows no one any good. And those who support this evil, including those who have decided to look away or sit on the fence at this time of moral crisis, should also remember that what goes around will always come around. Besides, no wise man hauls a stone into the market square because he would not be able to determine on whose head it would land.
“We therefore call on the security agencies to fish out and prosecute all perpetrators of violence in Enugu State, just as we call on all lovers of peace and democracy to join hands to persuade the authorities to take the necessary and decisive steps to arrest this growing Culture of political violence, cultism, and banditry to ensure a peaceful primary and 2023 general election in Enugu State. People should never be afraid to politically associate, and they should certainly never associate out of fear.
“Lastly, and quite importantly, we join our principal, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a man, whose role in the post- 2015 survival of the PDP can be rightly described as pivotal, in calling on the leadership of our party to provide a level playing ground for all. When many, who had benefited immensely from the PDP, abandoned the party; when some who remained feared to openly associate with or defend the party whose mandate they hold, Ekweremadu was among the few party leaders that stood up to be counted.”
On a final analysis, the Ikeoha Campaign Organization stressed that only a free, fair, transparent, and credible process can guarantee that the PDP will come out of the 2023 general election stronger and more viral.