The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has decried what it described as the “wanton” arrest of the party’s chieftains ahead of today’s house of assembly election.
This is contained in a statement by the party’s publicity secretary in the state, Hon Collins Opurozor.
Opurozor who condemned the recent arrest of a former deputy governor of the state and chieftain of the PDP, Engr Gerald Irona, stressed that it was a show of cowardice, “whose aim of weakening the party, would only remain futile at best.”
He described as “puerile”, a recent invitation to former Governor Emeka Ihedioha and a House of Representatives member-elect, Ikenga Ugochinyere, by the police in the state.
He challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, led by Gov Hope Uzodimma to allow all political parties test their popularity at the polls rather than resorting to intimidation of the opposition using the police and other agencies of government.
“This is a calculated attempt by the Uzodimma-led APC to arrest and keep these prominent leaders of our party out of circulation during the house of assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18.
“This way, it would be easy to rig the polls and re-establish a weak and malleable APC-dominated House of Assembly in Imo which can only sing his praises. Imo people must now rise and defend democracy in the state.
“A former deputy governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Gerald Irona, had his residence invaded last week by armed security operatives on the alleged orders of Uzodimma. Since then, he has been in detention, persecuted for doing no wrong.
“Our party regrets that the police in Imo has allowed itself to be abused by Uzodimma, and deployed as a tool for political vendetta. This is extremely dangerous,” Opurozor submitted.
He described the police in Imo State as “highly politicised” and called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to overhaul the police architecture in the state to ensure a level playing ground for all actors in the state’s politics.
This, he said, would rekindle faith in the fairness and credibility of the Police and its capacity to secure Imo people.
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