Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday, exchanged words over what it described as outstanding debts allegedly owed by Oyegun.

The State Chairman of the APC, Jarrett Tenebe, in a statement, said that Oyegun owes the party N150 million, a debt incurred from alleged loans and accumulated membership dues spanning several years.

Tenebe, who said the debt accumulated when Oyegun was listed as a member of the party, alleged that the former APC national chairman had failed to respond to several official demands for repayment.

“The APC in Edo State wishes to inform the general public that, as a law-abiding, people-centred political organisation, we have formally demanded the settlement of debts owed by the National Leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), John Odigie-Oyegun,” the statement read.

Tenebe said: “Our records also revealed accumulated membership dues which the ADC National Leader refused to pay into the party’s coffers all through the period of his membership of the APC.”

He added that the public demand became necessary following what he described as Oyegun’s outright refusal to honour his financial obligations to the party.

Reacting to the allegations, Odigie-Oyegun dismissed them as baseless, describing them as a sign of panic within the ruling APC.

The National Leader of the ADC said the allegations were driven by growing unease within the APC following the ADC’s emergence as a strong political force.

“People will have a good laugh at that. All I can say is that, as negative as what they are doing is, it finally shows that they now know they have problems with the advent of the ADC,” he said.

He accused the APC of responding to the rise of the ADC with hostility rather than constructive political engagement.

“They now know they are in trouble. We are ready for them. Whatever they do, we are ready. They are finally acknowledging that there is a threat to them in Nigeria,” Oyegun stated.

The ADC leader further accused the ruling party of dragging Edo State into political disrepute through what he described as violence, intimidation, and abusive rhetoric.

MEANWHILE, suspected thugs have attacked the Edo State secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Witnesses said the thugs were said to have carried out the attack on Wednesday night at about past 8:00 p.m.

According to the witnesses, the thugs arrived in a white bus and poured what was suspected to be fuel around the building.

It, however, took the intervention of sympathisers who helped to prevent the building from being completely razed. Some billboards around the building were, however, pulled down while a part of the building was gutted by fire.

Reacting, the State Chairman of the Edo ADC, Kennedy Odion, who said the party moved into the secretariat last month, noted that it was no coincidence that the attack occurred weeks after Edo Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, threatened not to allow any opposition in the state.

He called on security agencies to apprehend the attackers and prosecute them to prevent future occurrences.

Contacted, Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the attack, said suspected hoodlums invaded the party’s premises and destroyed properties. (The Guardian)