From Chijioke Agwu,Abakaliki
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has condemned the alleged torture of one Amobi Ujah, a member bof the party in the state.
Mr. Charles Otu, Director of Media and Publicity, Odohzia Ebonyi Campaign council, in a statement said the allegation that Mr.Ujah destroyed APC billboards in Afikpo North was only fabricated as an excuse to get at him.
He further alleged that the APC led goverment was equally planning to arrest some high profile members of the party ahead of the elections.
He said “the attention of the Odohzhia Ebonyi Campaign Council has been drawn to some fresh plots to destabilize the campaign of the Party’s Senatorial candidate in Ebonyi South, Sir Ifeanyi Eleje by the agents of the Umahi-led APC government masquerading as Ebubeagu officials in the council area.
“Our findings showed that the State government have concluded plans to abduct, torture and remand APGA supporters in Police custody and thrown some others into the Correctional facilities. Some other influential stakeholders and supporting the Party we also learnt have already been penciled down for maiming which will land them in the hospitals till after the election.
“To make good their threats and plots which we had earlier gotten hints of, the Ebubeagu Security operatives working under the Chairman of the Local Government Area, Mr. Uchenna Ibiam were detailed to abduct, torture and ransack the residences of our Senatorial candidate’s supporters. They will then be coerced into making confessions that they were sent by the Party’s leaders to destroy and deface APC campaign billboards in the area.
“It was reliably gathered that the Ebubeagu militia on the instruction of the leadership of the council area invaded the residence of an APGA supporter, one Amobi Ujah where he was abducted while his friend and another APGA supporter, one Chijioke was lucky to escape.
“The victim was consequently taken to the council area where he was severely tortured, forced to confess in a video and name the Director General of the Ifeanyi Eleje Campaign council, Mr. Iheukwumere Okogwu among others as sponsors behind the destruction of APC billboards in the area”
But in a reaction, Commander of Ebubeagu in the state, Mr. Friday Nnanna-ujor, said the suspect was only arrested after he was caught red-handed while destroying banners belonging to APC candidates in the area.
He said, “the truth of the matter was that the suspect, who is an APGA supporter in Afikpo North was caught tearing billboards of APC candidates and so, my men arrested him.
“People will destroy campaign materials in the state and tag it that APC members are responsible.
“Even in meetings, Governor Umahi has severally said that nobody should touch any campaign materials of any candidate despite party affiliations; and so we strictly keep to that instruction. And even in this state, we have severally caught PDP members tearing billboards of candidates of other parties. This is just to let you know that we are non-partisan and that we do our job without being biased. So, the boy was arrested committing a crime. He was not frame-up. He was not forced to confess. He was not attacked.”