Police in Ebonyi State have declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ifeanyi Odoh, wanted.
Mr Odoh and nine others were declared wanted on Monday over the murder of a monarch, Igbokwe Ewa.
Background
Some gunmen killed the monarch last Monday in his country home.
He was, until his death, the traditional ruler of the Umu-Ezekoha Community in the Ezza North Local Government Area.
Following his death last week, the All Progressive Congress (APC), which is the ruling party in the state, had accused Mr Odoh and his supporters of having a hand in the monarch’s death.
But Mr Odoh denied the allegations, stating that the monarch, who hails from the same local government as him, was like a father to him.
The police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, in a statement on Monday declared Mr Odoh and nine others wanted over the murder of the monarch.
The nine others, according to the police, are Samuel Onyekachi Aligwe, Peter Orogwu (aka one boy), Chukwudi Aliewa (aka Ezza) and Chika Ezealigbo.
Others are Nnaemeka Egede (aka Champaign), Nnabuike Okohu, Ogobuchi Agbom (aka Okiri), Nonso Obasi, and Ikechukwu Nwoba (aka Solid).
The police appealed for information from the public that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.
Mr Odoh could not be reached for his comment as he did not respond to calls from our reporter.
His media aide, Charles Otu, did not also respond to calls from our reporter.
Increase in political violence
Ebonyi State has become notorious for political violence in the lead-up to the general elections, with frequent attacks on opposition candidates in the state.
Some gunmen, late last year, attacked Mr Odoh and his convoy in Izzi Local Government Area.
Though no life was lost in that attack, one of the cars in his convoy was damaged by a gunshot fired by the assailants.
Mr Odoh was again a victim of a deadly attack in the Ishielu Local Government Area, during which his driver and a police officer were killed.
Gunmen, last month, attacked the home of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Izzi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency, Barnabas Ofoke.
Cars and other valuables in the compound, which was to be used as the campaign venue of the party’s governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Odii, were destroyed.
Gunmen, last month, killed an APC supporter when they opened fire at the party campaign ground in Íshielu Local Government Area.