2019: Isoko Community Threatens To Banish Anyone Who Votes For APC
LAGOS JANUARY 4TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Ahead of the February 16 and March 2, 2019 elections, stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ikpide-Irri riverine community, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, have threatened that any indigene who casts his or her vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be banished from the community.
SaharaReporters reliably gathered that the decision was taken on Friday during the PDP stakeholders meeting held at John Kpokpogri’s residence, a retired admiral at Ikpide-Irri community and attended by Aggrey Apena, a strong PDP member and Archbishop of Bethesda Gospel Mission, Pius Otolo, John Kpokpogri, Immanuel Emoefe, Chairman of PORTPLUS limited, a marine firm handling the N736,404, 555.60 road contract said to have been a ‘kola’ gift to the firm by Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
Speaking in confidence with our correspondent, a PDP member, who attended the meeting, said other decisions were reached during the meeting but what was top on the agenda was the “banishment” of any indigene who cast his or her vote for APC in the February 16 and March 2 elections.
A community leader, who preferred not to be named for fear of attack by “political thugs” working for the PORTPLUS Limited Chairman, said: “The issue of banishing APC members in Ikpide-Irri by Immanuel and PDP leaders in the community as threatened is a fact and must not be handled with kids gloves at all.
“Before now, Immanuel and Kpokpogri, a retired Navy Admiral, had vowed to use their connections to occupy the community with soldiers and other security agents, who will harass and intimidate APC members during the general election. In the 2011 and 2015 elections, that was how Immanuel and Kpokpogri occupied the entire community with soldiers, harassing, beating and intimidating members of the opposition. I can also tell you that Immanuel has brought in wrappers to be distributed to women and girls, including cash, during the elections.