By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has raised alarm over an alleged plot by the state government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to frame and criminalise its members over alleged illegal procurement of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The PDP, in a press conference signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Prince Darlington Peter Onwe, alleged that the purported PVC scheme was a pretext to intimidate, arrest and detain its members.
The party said: “We therefore reject, in its entirety, any attempt to associate our members with unlawful dealings in PVCs, and we hold that this narrative is being manufactured solely to justify a pre-planned campaign of arrests and intimidation against our party faithful.”
The party also called on the Police, DSS, INEC, National Human Rights Commission and other relevant bodies to intervene, warning against what it described as a threat to democracy and political pluralism in Ebonyi.
It further referenced an earlier alleged attack on journalists and PDP supporters during a party event in Ezza South, saying the incident reinforced its concerns over the safety of opposition members and the media.
Stating “in light of the foregoing, the PDP Ebonyi State hereby raises its internal security alert to RED. We are placing all our members, structures, and stakeholders on high alert, and we will not hesitate to mobilise all lawful, constitutional, and diplomatic channels available to us, should this plot be carried out against any of our members.
“We reiterate our commitment to peaceful, lawful, and constitutional politics, and we call on Governor Nwifuru and the leadership of the APC in Ebonyi State to lean towards issue-based governance and genuine democratic engagement, rather than persecution of perceived political opponents”.
But the Special Assistant to Governor Francis Nwifuru on Interparty Affairs, Hon. Sunday Nwambam, dismissed the allegation as “false, misleading, baseless and reflective of the last kicks of a dying horse.”
Nwambam challenged the PDP to provide evidence of the alleged plot, insisting that Governor Nwifuru remained committed to multiparty democracy.
Adding another dimension to the APC’s response, the party’s state chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, alleged that persons accused of buying voters’ cards had actually been arrested.
“I can tell you that this is a petition for somebody you sent to be buying voters’ cards from people and he was arrested. Those people are still in police custody here now in Abakaliki,” Okoro-Emegha said.