The Peoples Democratic Party has strongly condemned the attempted assassination of its Anambra State Governorship candidate for the upcoming November 8 election, Jude Ezenwafor.
In a statement released on Sunday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP called for the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack and reaffirmed that the incident would not shake the party’s resolve.
Ezenwafor was reportedly attacked by unidentified gunmen who opened fire on him in Abuja as he was returning from an engagement.
The party said some desperate interests, threatened by Ezenwafor’s rising popularity, are trying to stop him from contesting the election.
The statement read in part, “After a critical analysis of the violent incident, the PDP believes that certain interests who, ostensibly being uncomfortable with the growing popularity of the PDP candidate ahead of the November election are desperate to prevent him from participating in the coming poll.
“Our Party has also been made aware of other plots by some anti-democratic elements in Anambra State to commence series of smear campaigns against our candidate following the failure of the assassination plot.
“This attack on the PDP candidate is another sad commentary on the alarming level of insecurity in the country under the overtly insensitive, corrupt and abysmally rudderless All Progressives Congress administration.
“In any event, our clear message to the assailants and their sponsors is that they have and will continue to fail in their evil machination as the PDP candidate is divinely destined. Our candidate enjoys the support of the people and will surely emerge victorious in the election.”
PDP urged the Inspector General of Police to swiftly arrest the attackers and their sponsors, and to strengthen security around its candidate ahead of the election.
The party further stated, “The PDP family urges Chief Ezenwafor not to be dispirited by the attack. The fact remains that Anambra
“State is home to the PDP and no amount of attack, smear campaign or propaganda will sway the resolve of our Party, candidate and the people of Anambra State to elect a transparent, humane, people-oriented and result-driven administration on the platform of the PDP.”
