Responding to the PDP’s claim that the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, was trivialising and politicising insecurity in the state, the APC urged security agents to hold the PDP leaders responsible for the resumed killings in the state.

A statement issued in Owerri, the state capital, by the APC spokesperson in the state, Cajetan Duke, said that the state governor had no hands in the insecurity ravaging the state as alleged by the PDP on Wednesday.

The statement read in part: “We consider the latest effort of the opposition PDP to blame the APC-led government of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma, for the incidents of insecurity in parts of the Orlu Senatorial zone of the state as a deliberate attempt to mislead the people, malign the person of the governor and undermine the credibility of his administration.

“It is dishonest, wicked and utterly mischievous for the PDP to attribute the renewed gruesome attacks on notable leaders of the All Progressives Congress and destruction of critical public infrastructure in the state to lack of leadership capacity on the part of the governor.

“Contrary to such ridiculous, pedestrian and kindergarten allegation, the leadership of the PDP should hold themselves individually and collectively responsible for the unwarranted killings of innocent citizens and destruction of public and private properties in the state.

“A party that for two years has sustained a deliberate campaign of calumny, incitement and destructive opposition against the government of the day, should not look for whom to blame when the result comes. Indeed, it is no longer news that what is happening in Imo today has the tacit endorsement and signature of the opposition element in the state.

“Instead of looking for whom to blame, Imolites and all men of goodwill deserve an unreserved apology from the PDP, and not its provocative, hypocritical grandstanding.

“As a party, we had expected the opposition PDP in Imo to exonerate themselves from obvious culpability in the ongoing security challenges in the state by joining hands with the state government to condemn the ugly trend. However, we are shocked over their unrepentant and unrelenting devious posture.

“Nonetheless, we are delighted that Governor Hope Uzodinma, to the admiration of patriotic men and women in the state, irrespective of political inclination, has continued to demonstrate capacity, maturity and uncommon statecraft in the business of governance, and particularly, the fight against politically-sponsored insecurity in the state.

“While we continue to commiserate with families of victims of insecurity, we pray to God for the restoration of peace and security in our dear state, Imo.”