APC should refrain from hate speech during campaigns – PDP Ebonyi guber candidate urges 

The Campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Ebonyi State, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has counselled leaders of the ruling party in the state, including the state governor, Engr. David Umahi, to refrain from using divisive and inciting comments to overheat the polity.

In a statement, Abia Onyike, Director, Media and Publicity, AnyiChuks Campaign Organization, described the use of such inflammatory comments as uncalled for and provocative, challenging the APC leaders, instead, to engage in issues-based campaigns, advertise their development projects and create a favourable atmosphere for peaceful campaigns and electioneering to take place.

The statement further alleged that the APC leaders’ “attitude of desperation and name-calling has shown that they are empty and have nothing to justify their quest for re-election as a political party.”

Full text of the statement reads:

We wish to use this opportunity to advise the APC in Ebonyi State to stop all divisive and inciting comments capable of overheating the polity as the Campaigns for the 2023 general Elections gathers momentum.

Promoting divisions or harping on clannish and artificial differences between administrative zones and peoples as was done recently by Gov David Umahi and other APC leaders during their Campaign rallies at Izzi, Ikwo, Afikpo and Ohaukwu was the height of verbal incitement of one group against the other in the state.

Even the attack on the person and candidature of Sen. Dr Sam Ominyi Egwu, was uncalled for and provocative. Democracy does not limit any body from contesting elections and nobody has the legitimate authority to stop the electorate from voting for any candidate of their choice.

APC should stop dividing Ebonyi State along sub-ethnic and primordial sentiments, as such a practice can become the nurturing ground for communal disturbances.

Dr. Sam Egwu is a popular candidate for re-election into the Senate. Using such childish antics to cast aspersions on his candidature is a sign of political rascality which shows that the APC is not prepared for the 2023 Elections.

The problem with the APC is that its autocratic imposition of candidates had robbed it of popular and acceptable candidates. It is this realization by some of the APC leaders that gave rise to these soap box rhetorics.

As the ruling party in the state, one would have expected them to engage in issue-based campaigns. They should advertise their development projects and create a favourable atmosphere for peaceful Campaigns and electioneering to take place.

Their attitude of desperation and name-calling has shown that they are empty and have nothing to justify their quest for re-election as a political party.