By Peter Okutu
The Leadership of All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, Ebonyi State, has condemned the attack on the state Coordinator, Shekarau for Nigeria, Mr. Sylvester Igboji, at Udumowo market Akuhufu Inyimagu, Ikwo local government area of the state last week by some hoodlums suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In a conversation with Vanguard in Abakaliki, weekend, state chairman of the party, Chief Emerike Orji, who described the action by the thugs as unfortunate and an abuse of fundamental human right, stated that it was high time people understood that democracy provides the platform for all citizens to have a say in government and not only for a selected sect in the society.

Orji, who said the party was peace loving, accommodating and reliable in handling the affairs of the state, called on the electorate to use the opportunity of this year’s general election to vote PDP out of government.

The state Coordinator, Shekarau for Nigeria , SFN, Mr. Sylvester Igboji, who narrated his ordeal to his fellow party men, noted that a group of thugs numbering eleven adopted him at about 8:00pm when he was returning from a party event organized by the National Chairman of ANPP, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

He alleged that a serving commissioner in Governor Elechi’s cabinet (name withheld) was the brain behind his manhandling.

He urged the peace-loving supporters of Shekarau and ANPP to remain steadfast in their effort to bring the desired change to the country.

He said: “This group forced me out of a Toyota bus with the registration number XA947-BNK with Sherakau poster and ANPP logo on its body which I was driving that day and have been using everywhere in the state for two months now. They seized me and forced me out of the bus.

“Before I could ask what my crime was, they shouted to me, saying haven’t I heard that the serving commissioner had warned that no other party, except PDP, should exist in this area.  Then, they also asked why I should drive my ANPP Shekarau bus on a PDP constructed road. “They started beating me, robbed me of some huge amount of money (meant for party elders for the forth coming national congress), two phones; took the vehicle keys and drove off to the place where they vandalized it.

“I was held at gun point with my eyes blindfolded from the moment they adopted me which was about 8pm till about 4:30am the following morning.”

He, however, pointed out that issues surrounding his adoption, which he reported to the Divisional Police Officer, Ikwo, have been transferred to the state police headquarters for further investigation.