The Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Blessing Albert Ebhodaghe, popularly known as BB, has allegedly threatened to demolish a hotel reportedly used by members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for a political meeting.
The allegation is contained in a leaked audio recording currently circulating in Edo State.
In the recording, a voice purportedly belonging to Ebhodaghe warned hotel owners against allowing members of the opposition NDC to hold further political meetings at the facility.
The speaker allegedly threatened that the hotel and other businesses belonging to its owner could be demolished if the NDC continued to use the premises for its meetings.
“The government will bring down any building or business of any person that attends any NDC meeting in his hotel,” the voice reportedly said.
The speaker also claimed that the government owned the land on which the hotel was constructed.
“We (the government) own the land and we would show it soon,” the voice allegedly stated.
When asked whether the statement constituted a threat from the government, the speaker reportedly responded: “Yes, it’s a threat from the government and me.”
The allegation has sparked concerns among political stakeholders in Edo State over the treatment of opposition parties and their supporters ahead of future political activities.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Esan West council chairman were unsuccessful. Messages sent to Ebhodaghe seeking clarification reportedly received no response, while calls to his phone were unanswered as of the time of filing the report.
The allegation comes amid claims of disruptions to NDC activities in other parts of the country.
Recently, the party alleged that eight of its members sustained gunshot injuries during an attack on its monthly ward meeting in Obuofia, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The alleged victims were identified as Onovo Donald Ekene, Ngene Godwin Madueke, Ogbodo Gloria, Onovo Victor, Maduabuchi Ugwu, Nnaemeka Nelson, Chinonso Nwagbara and Obinna Daniel Owo.
According to a statement issued by the media aide to the NDC governorship candidate in Enugu State, Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa, Hon. Sampson Ukwu, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at Ihuani Awkunanaw in Obuofia.
The campaign said party members had gathered for the statewide monthly ward meeting when armed hoodlums allegedly invaded the venue and opened fire.
The NDC also alleged that canopies, chairs and other materials belonging to the party were vandalised during the incident.
The party described the attack as an alleged act of political thuggery and intimidation, while further claiming that similar disruptions had previously occurred in Akpugo and Obe wards of Nkanu West.
Note: The alleged threats and the identity of the voice in the recording have not been independently verified. The council chairman’s response was also not available at the time of the report.
