Assailants, in the early hours of Friday, attacked the front of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Izizi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency, Barnabas Ofoke.
Cars and other belongings were destroyed during the attack, while the occupants of the house fled for safety.
The spokesperson of the PDP in Ebonyi State, Chika Nwoba in a statement on Friday accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state of responsibility for the attack.
The house is in Izzi Local Government Area.
Both Mr. Ofoke and the APC governorship candidate, who is the Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru are from the local government area.
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify whether the APC was involved in the attack.
The PDP spokesperson in the state, Mr. Nwoba said that Mr. Ofoke’s compound is the designated venue for the PDP governorship rally in the local government area scheduled for today, Friday.
The house that was attacked was inside the complex.
“This is a compound where the campaign should be conducted since the APC governorship candidate and Governor Umahi declared that there is no open space for PDP in the local government areas,” Mr. Nwoba said.
Nwifuru, APC reaction
The APC and its governorship candidate, Francis Nwifuru, denied having a hand in the attack.
A member of the party’s media team and an aide to Governor David Umahi, Brutus Orogwu said the incident was self-inflicted.
He said the PDP carried out the attack to tarnish the image of the APC and its governorship candidate.
“PDP secretly sent their sons to destroy these things just to tarnish the image of APC in Izzi. Yes, as far as I know, they have failed,” he said.
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The Director, New Media, APC Campaign Council and APC State Spokesperson, Simbad Ogbuatu also denied the allegations.
He said Mr Nwifuru and the APC had no hand in the attack. He also accused the PDP of orchestrating the incident.
“This is just propaganda from the PDP. Nwifuru is a man of peace, a man who respects human life and the rule of law and cannot send anyone to commit atrocious acts.
“PDP is not in the field, he organized the attack. Ofoke is not a threat. He has never won a Polling unit.
“The media and the voters of Ebonyi should ignore this propaganda by PDP, because they know that they do not have the capacity to defeat APC at the polls, that is why they are making these gimmicks to tarnish the image of PDP.
“Nwifuru did not attack anyone and did not send anyone to attack. APC does not have thugs and does not believe in or join thugs,” he said.
Increasing political violence in Ebonyi
Ebonyi State has been notorious for political violence of late, with attacks on opposition candidates on the rise in the state.
All Progressive Grand Alliance governorship candidate, Bernard Odoh and his convoy were attacked in Izzi Local Government Area late last year.
Although no lives were lost in the attack, one car in the convoy was damaged by gunfire from the attackers.
Mr. Odoh, last month, survived a deadly attack. Two police officers associated with him were killed in the attack.
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