Ebonyi Youth Assembly alleges threats to members’ lives for endorsing PDP governorship candidate

The Ezza Ezekuna Youth Assembly (EEYA) has alleged that its members were facing threats, intimidation and harassment from agents suspected to be officials of the Ebonyi state government, following the group’s endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

Addressing journalists in Abakaliki on Friday, the national president of the group, Comrade Sunday Nwankwo, alleged that the threats began shortly after the group unanimously endorsed Odii, describing the development as an “attack on democratic rights and freedom of association.”

Nwankwo claimed that government agents had been moving from community to community, allegedly harassing leaders, parents, stakeholders and members of the group over the endorsement.

He also lamented that some members had received death threats, with some individuals reportedly threatening to bomb their houses, chase them out of their communities and disrupt their businesses because of their political choice.

“The threats started on the evening of July 11, immediately after we endorsed Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii. Some of our members in different local government areas have been threatened by highly placed politicians in government, simply because they exercised their constitutional right to support a candidate of their choice,” he said.

The youth leader said the youth assembly, established in 2010, was a lawful organisation committed to promoting good governance and civic participation, adding that its members had the constitutional right to associate with any political party.

He, therefore, called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian military to protect the democratic rights of all Ebonyi citizens, irrespective of political affiliation.