By Maurice Okafor, Enugu.
The Governorship Candidate of Labour party in Enugu state, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga has promised to do his possible best within the ambits of the law to protect members of the party and other Nigerians from all forms of intimidation and harassment from all quarters.
Hon. Edeoga gave the promise while reacting to allegations of intimidation of the party members who were holding a peaceful ward meeting in Awgu, a fortnight ago.
He said the party in the state received reports of the ugly incident and have commenced it’s investigation to get to the truth of the matter. He pleaded with the party faithfuls in Enugu state and beyond to remain resolute in their support for labour party, stating the party had come to offer credible alternative to the era of bad governance.
His words, “I want to assure all our party members in Enugu state that the leadership of the party received the reports of the ugly incident of attack on our members who were holding their peaceful ward meeting. The party is investigating the matter and will do all within the law to offer protection to our members and sympathizers”
“We have come to offer credible alternative in the art of governance and that is the fear in many quarters,”
Edeoga gave this hints while attending to the clarion call of a Socio Political pressure group known as Enugu Urban Consultative Assembly.
Earlier in his speech the convener of the group Barr Val. Ikpa told Edeoga that the reason of their consultation is to inform him just as they are informing other governorship candidates that Enugu East Urban population which is over 75 percent of the voting population of the entire Enugu East local government will cast their vote for the candidate who promises to redress the great imbalance against the Enugu East Urban population. .
According to Barr Ikpa, the Enugu East Urban population is maligned and cheated on political appointments and socio infrastructural development amidst it’s huge population and centre of economic base of Enugu East council area, since 1999 to the present date amidst it’s massive support to PDP, which is the ruling party in Enugu state since 1999.
“We want to tell you that Enugu East Urban population have decided that they will cast their vote for any candidate who will assure to solve the problems of the urban community. We have no roads and lack social amenities. They concentrate the projects in the rural community and we are not even favoured with political appointments.
“They cited the Development centre in the rural community which is close to the local government headquarters, as instance of deliberate denial of the Enugu East Urban community their entitlement. We shall vote for the candidate who assures us of correcting these imbalances ” Barr Ikpa stated.
Hon. Callistus Awoffe from Igbo Odogwu Ward, who was a special assistant to Dr. Okwy Nwodo led administration in Enugu state corroborated Barr Ikpa’s statement as the decision of the entire Enugu East Urban population.
