A youth leader and an All Peoples Congress (APC) member in Ikpide-Irri, Isoko South local government area of Delta state, has allegedly been ostracised by his community for challenging a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator at the National Assembly for failure to execute constituency projects.
The development according to the source who claimed anonymity is said to have resulted into a bloody crisis between members of the PDP and APC in the local government area.
According to Blank NEWS Online source, “Prince Gabriel Othuke, leader of Ikpide-Irri Youth Movement and card carrying member of the APC from Ikpide-Irri community was solely ostracized from the community by some PDP chieftains in the area, following an article he was said to have published on the failure of the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor Okuweh to fulfill his promises made to the community during elections, refusal to give among other things his stewardship and to hold constituency briefing in the last twelve years in the green chambers.”
It was also alleged that members of the opposition APC party are currently facing intimidation due to their harassment with security operatives by the members and chieftains of ruling PDP.
“The intimidation of opposition party members and banishing of Prince Gabriel is targeted at all perceived non-members of PDP in the community.
“They have boasted to deal with any member of the community who challenges their decisions in the community to make it a full fledge PDP community as well as going against them during the forthcoming 2015 general elections”, the community source disclosed.
Reacting to the development, one of the community branch chairmen, who pleaded for anonymity condemned in its entirety the banishing of the APC member by PDP chieftains, describing it as unconstitutional and illegal since it was carried out by PDP members and not the leadership of the community.
“As I talk to you, we reliably gathered that the cabals have concluded plans to import dangerous weapons into the community ahead of the 2015 general elections and anyone who challenges them during the elections shall be maimed and killed because they already have the backing of some persons in government. They should be called to order before it’s too late.
“No one can make Ikpide-Irri a war zone, a PDP community, 100 percent level playing ground should be given to all political parties in the town. It’s very unfortunate that these PDP cabals after holding their meetings on how to cause mayhem in the community they will report back to a serving federal lawmaker in the area for gratifications.”
Meanwhile, members of the community have called on the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as leader of the ruling PDP, to help avert the ensuing crisis in the area by using his offices to investigate the cause of the problems.
