Sahara Reporters
An aspirant for the Enugu State House of Assembly in the 2023 general elections, Mr Akaolisa Ogbe, on Saturday reportedly escaped an assassination attempt.
The political atmosphere in the state is gradually becoming very tense with several reported attacks on perceived political opponents on the increase.
An aspirant for the Enugu State House of Assembly in the 2023 general elections, Mr Akaolisa Ogbe, on hospital bed.
On April 10, 2022, there were widely reported attacks on supposedly political opponents during a local government meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party in Aninri and Nsukka local government areas. The Aninri attack left Chinedu Okwu, a member of the state House Assembly seriously injured with a deep machete cut in the head.
However, an assassination attempt on Ogbe’s life, a PDP aspirant for Enugu South, was the latest in a series of political attacks in the state recently.
An eyewitness, Mr Okeke Aruma, on Monday morning said the assailants who attacked Ogbe shot him several times at close range Saturday night.
Aruma described the attack as callous and insensitive, coming on during Easter period when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
He called on security agencies to do more in protecting the lives of Nigerians, warning that if the situation continued it would disenfranchise Nigerians in the 2023 elections.
Meanwhile, Ogbe Akaolisa National Support Group has confirmed the attack in a statement issued on Monday, signed by Chief Christian Ezude.
While thanking God for sparing the life of Ogbe, the group said politics should not be a do-or-die affair, adding that “we shouldn’t burn everything down in our stake or quest for power”.
The statement partly read, “We thank Him immensely for sparing the dear life of our brother, Mr Akaolisa Ogbe, a PDP State House of Assembly aspirant from Maryland Ward 13 Enugu South, a gentle and kind young man whose only crime was to have shown zeal and burning passion to serve and represent his people.
“He was attacked and shot on Saturday, 16th of April at Amechi.
“He expressed interest to vie and represent his people, Enugu South Rural in the Enugu House of Assembly elections coming up in 2023.
“Ever since picking the PDP intent form, he has embarked on consultations and courtesy visits to political stakeholders and wards of his people where he shone like a star he is. Expressing his good intentions of representing the people with undue simplicity and humility.
“Impressing the people, who saw in him; a man with a clean heart that simply wanted to serve. Expending his personal resources on this project without having any backing nor strong ties to any political Godfather.”
It added, “Is this his crime or enough reasons to now be targeted for assassination.
