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By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state have engaged in a war of words over the suspension of the PDP’s campaign in Edo central senatorial district as a result of the death of an individual in Ewu, Esan Central local government during its campaign on Wednesday.

A statement by the Director of the PDP Campaign Council in Esan Central, Anselm Ojezua said the party had to suspend its campaigns because of the incident for police to do its investigations and to avoid further possible incidents.

He said that “due to the unfortunate incident, the party has decided to suspend all political campaign rallies until the police come up with their investigation and findings.

But a statement by Godswill Inegbe for the APC candidates in Edo central called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter and avoid turning the area to a war zone.

Part of the statement read “Barely 37 days to the Presidential Election, which is the first round of the 2023 general election, the political atmosphere in Edo Central is in turmoil, because of the increasing violence and mayhem trailing the electioneering campaigns of a faction of PDP in Edo Central Senatorial District.

“Just yesterday, Wednesday, 18th of January, 2023, a life was lost in ward 07, in Ewu Kingdom, Esan Central LGA, while another life is in a medical life support system in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), as a result of the violence and maiming that took place during a political rally of a faction of the PDP in Edo Central” where it mentioned the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun and the senator representing Edo Central in the senate, Clifford Ordia as the leaders of the campaign.

The statement said the APC was worried that, if no urgent steps were taken by the relevant security agencies, “the attacks within the ranks and file of the factionalized Edo PDP leaders, will intensify as we approach the election date, and if this persists, there is no gainsaying that, violence in the pre-election period, such as we are now, will lead to voter apathy, as nobody wants to die, because of voting in an election.”

But Ojezua in a counter statement carpeted the APC’s statement saying “While the PDP campaign Council states unequivocally that the incident did not take place at the venue of the campaign but nearby, we are surprised however at the twisted narrative of the Edo Central APC to the incident.

“As a Peace loving political organization, we decided not to allow ourselves to be drawn into any diatribe with the APC. However, we call on all security agencies to look into the incident as it seems the adage, the witch cried yesterday, the child died this morning, is coming to play in this happening.

“While we have placed our campaign rally on hold to mourn the dead, we appeal to relevant security agencies to come to our aid as the failed APC has an agenda of mayhem and bloodshed.

“The PDP still remains a better alternative considering the abysmal failure of the APC to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.”