By Uche Amunike
Barely three days to the governorship election expected to take place, March 18, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Sheriff Oborevwori has been attacked by unknown gunmen believed to be assassins, in the state.
Speaking, through a statement issued, Tuesday, by Deputy Director, Media and Publicity of the PDP Campaign Council, Dr Ifeanyi Okonzua, he confirmed that the attack occurred between Elume Junction and Okuabude in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta state on Sunday March 12, 2023.
Hear him: ‘The party is absolutely staggered and horrified by the reported attack on the convoy of our Governorship flag bearer, Sheriff Oborevwori, by unknown gunmen.’
‘The heavy attack was confirmed in a statement by Mr Dennis Otu, Chief Press Secretary to Oborevwori, and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.’
‘Oborevwori only survived the ambush by the special grace of God,’ the statement stated.
The PDP Campaign Council lauded the security men that engaged the gunmen in a shooting duel, which made them flee, for their alertness and gallantry.
They also stated that the attack was a deliberate, well planned and clinically executed assassination attempt on the life of Sheriff Oborevwori, who was not just the governorship candidate of the PDP, but also, the leading contender in the Delta state governorship race that will take place on Saturday, March 18.
The statement further read: ‘We have repeatedly raised alarm and highlighted the penchant of violence synonymous with some political parties in the State.’
‘Particularly at election time, this recent incident is one attack too many on our governorship candidate, so close to election day. We are therefore strongly calling on the Security Agencies to quickly swing into action and bring the suspected assassins to book immediately.’
‘We are also calling on our teeming supporters to remain calm and peaceful in the face of this horrible manifestation of deliberate violence, targeted at eliminating the next governor of Delta State, by the grace of God.’
He reiterated that the PDP in Delta state will not be distracted or intimidated by the actions of the gunmen, which he described as cowardly. He called on the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act on Sheriff Oborevwori, while advising members of the party to remain vigilant and be on the watch out for any further eventualities as the state gears up for the March 18 polls.
Oborevwori’s Chief Press Secretary, Dennis Otu, also released a statement , giving details about the gunmen attack on his principal.
It partly read: ‘The car which he was driven in and security vehicles attached to the convoy were riddled with bullets in the incident that took place at about 9:05pm. He had gone to Sapele for political meetings and on his way back to Osubi, the unknown gun men ambushed the convoy and launched a heavy attack on him, spraying his car and back up vehicles with bullets.’
‘Only the Grace of God and the fact that he was riding in a bullet proof car saved the life of the leading governorship hopeful in the State.’
‘His brave security men rose to the occasion by engaging the suspected to be assassins in a duel which lasted for over ten minutes before the gun men took to their heels and disappeared into the thick darkness of the night. Although no life was lost, one of the security men attached to the PDP governorship candidate sustained injuries.’
He affirmed that the case is currently being investigated by the police.
