The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are in a heated dispute following accusations of vandalism at the PDP secretariat. Chris Nehikhare, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP Caretaker Committee, has claimed that APC-backed thugs stormed the party office, causing significant damage and stealing valuable items.

According to Nehikhare, the assailants destroyed doors, windows, office furniture, and several electronic devices, including computers, in what appeared to be an orchestrated attack aimed at intimidating PDP members and disrupting their ongoing efforts to contest the outcome of the September 21 governorship election.

“The destruction of party property, along with the theft of valuable equipment, is an attempt to frustrate the PDP’s efforts to reclaim its mandate,” Nehikhare said, condemning the attack as an act of desperation by the APC. He questioned why the APC would resort to such tactics if they were confident in their electoral victory.

“Why are they mobilizing thugs to destroy our secretariat if they truly won the election fairly?” he added, calling for a full investigation by security agencies. “This barbaric act must be condemned in the strongest terms.”

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Despite the setback, Nehikhare assured PDP members and supporters that the party would not be intimidated. “We will explore every legal avenue to reclaim the mandate rightfully given to us by the people of Edo State,” he said, urging calm among his supporters.

In response, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Edo State, dismissed the allegations as baseless. He questioned the validity of the claims and suggested that the PDP was merely deflecting attention from its internal struggles.

“How can they say the attackers were APC thugs?” Uwadiae-Igbinigie asked. “Were they wearing APC uniforms? Is there any evidence that links them to our party?” He further criticized the PDP for attempting to draw the APC into its internal issues, calling the allegations unfounded and urging the party to focus on resolving its own problems.

The APC spokesperson also pointed out that the current APC government in Edo State had already initiated several projects that the previous PDP administration had failed to deliver. “The APC is focused on bringing development to the state, and we won’t be distracted by these unfounded accusations,” he concluded.