Ebonyi PDP Accuses APC Of Assaulting Witnesses In Court

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

The All Progressives Congress, in Ebonyi State, has been accused by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party of attacking some of its members who gave testimony as witnesses before the Abuja-based Election Petitions Tribunal.

The charge was made in a statement that was made public on Thursday and was signed by Augustine Nwazunku, the chairman of the PDP’s caretaker committee for the State.

According to the statement, suspected APC hitmen attacked the PDP witnesses who gave testimony before the election tribunal in Abuja as they were returning to their homes.

“Some were brutally attacked by APC hired thugs, with their families, essentially chased out of their homes while business interests of our members’ farm were poisoned with yet to be verified chemical. Over twenty thousand fish fingerlings were physically damaged in some of the episodes of attacks,” the statement read.

The party further charged APC chieftains and leaders with visiting local governments and communities to intimidate PDP supporters getting ready to appear before the Tribunal as witnesses.

The statement continued, “Any Ebonyi citizen seen to be mingling with PDP members in Ebonyi State will face consequences from the APC government.”

In response to the accusations, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, the state chairman of the APC, called the PDP to present proof of the alleged attacks on its members to the public and characterized the accusations as unfounded.