Tension on Wednesday heightened in Ebonyi state over the mysterious death of Barrister Ernest Odu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The family of the deceased and APC members in the state were said to have raised suspicions, demanding for autopsy.

Odu, a lawyer, was reported to have slumped and died in a three star hotel owned by one of the APC chieftains from Ebonyi state at Upper Chime Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu, during a meeting of the Dr Ognonnaya Onu-led faction of the APC.

A family source who pleaded anonymity, yesterday said though, the exact cause of Odu’s death could not yet be declared, but the family would approach the police for an autopsy, adding that there is strong suspicion that the deceased might have died of food poisoning.

He alleged that the mystery surrounding the death of the Chairman might not be unconnected to his opposition to the emergence of APC governorship candidate from his council area for the 2019 general election.

The source said that the deceased attended the party meeting healthy, but he died after he was served food and other consumables during the meeting, and this fuelled the family’s suspicion.

Piqued by the development, a group under the auspices of Ezza Youth Vanguard has called on the Ebonyi State Police Command and the State Security Service to unravel the cause of the death of the deceased to avoid further speculations and accusation.

The group, in a press release signed by its Chairman, Comrade Chukwuma Nworie, expressed worries as to how the young lawyer would die under the circumstance.

The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident to News Express, said the matter had not been formally reported to the command for necessary action.