The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has challenged the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to apologise to Nigerians over its account of the controversy surrounding an airport event and an alleged shooting at its state secretariat.
The APC accused the opposition party of misrepresenting the incidents for political gain, insisting that its explanations had raised further questions about what transpired over the weekend.
The state APC Publicity Secretary, Chief Uche Obute, said individuals and institutions that profess integrity should acknowledge their mistakes and apologise when necessary.
The reaction followed a press conference by the Enugu NDC Chairman, Emmanuel Chukwujekwu Nebo, who disputed aspects of the state government’s account of the incidents, as presented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, on Sunday.
The NDC had maintained that its planned activity at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, was a reception for its governorship candidate, Chinyeaka Ohaa, and not a grand statewide campaign flag-off, as claimed by the state government.
The party also said it had notified relevant security agencies of its plans and made the necessary payments to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
On the alleged shooting at its state secretariat, the NDC said it was still verifying the final medical status of those reportedly injured.
But Obute questioned the party’s account, particularly its statement about the condition of the injured and its decision to observe a minute’s silence.
He asked how the NDC could observe a minute’s silence while still verifying the medical status of those allegedly injured.
According to him, the development reinforced the APC’s suspicion that the incident was being presented in a way that could implicate the ruling party.
Obute further alleged that internal divisions within the Enugu NDC had contributed to the controversy, claims the opposition party had not been shown to have accepted.
On the airport event, the APC spokesman challenged the NDC’s description of the gathering as a reception rather than a campaign rally.
He cited a screenshot of a Facebook post attributed to Ohaa, which advertised a programme titled “Grand Statewide Campaign Flag-off 2026.”
The promotional material reportedly listed Saturday, October 10, 2026, as the date, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, as the venue, and 9 a.m. as the time.
Obute argued that the publicity contradicted the NDC’s explanation of the planned event.
The APC spokesman also commended the administration of Governor Peter Mbah, saying it had upheld the democratic rights and freedoms of residents irrespective of their political affiliations.
He urged opposition parties in the state to focus on presenting their manifestoes and engaging voters on policy issues rather than heightening political tension.
The NDC’s account and the APC’s allegations underscore the continuing disagreement between the parties over the airport event and the reported violence at the opposition party’s secretariat.
