Amby Uneze in Owerri
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has said in clear terms that the resort to use of police to harass, arrest and incarcerate party leaders in the State by governor Hope Uzodinma shows a man who can no longer handle the phobia of his imminent loss of state power.
In a release signed by the party publicity Secretary in the State, Collins Opuruozor noted that the fear which comes from Uzodinma's unpopularity, cowardice and shame to participate in any fair electoral contest is common with all despots, and it invariably consumes their regimes.
He stated that the renewed onslaughts against former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, his deputy, Hon. Gerald Irona and Barr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere is therefore the end of the road for the ill-fated reign of Hope Uzodinma in the State.
According to him, the former Deputy Governor of the State, Hon. Gerald Irona, had his residence invaded last week by armed security operatives on the orders of Uzodinma. Since then, he has been in detention, persecuted for doing no wrong.
"This week, a letter from the Imo State Police Command came to our party, requesting the State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, to bring former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, the already-detained former Deputy Governor, Irona, and member-elect for Ideato Federal Constituency, Barr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, for questioning over completely insane, puerile and nonexistent cases of kidnapping, murder and arson.
"This is a calculated attempt by Senator Uzodinma to arrest and keep these prominent leaders of our party out of circulation during the House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18, to enable the terrified Uzodinma rig the polls and reestablish 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!
"Further, the plot by Uzodinma to arrest and detain former Governor Ihedioha, Irona, Barr. Ikenga Ugochinyere and nine (9) other leaders of Imo PDP is also targeted at destabilizing the PDP governorship primary election in the State which barely one month away. The jittery Uzodinma is aware that his sack at the polls by PDP is a decided issue. Falling back on police brutality can only worsen his fate.
"Our party, however, regrets that the police in Imo State has abdicated its duty of protecting lives and property, and has instead allowed itself to be so debased and abused by Senator Uzodinma, and deployed as tool for political vendetta. This is extremely dangerous.
Opuruozor said that Imo PDP really considers as mind-boggling is that this same police which has failed to investigate three consecutive armed attacks on Ikenga Ugochinyere, in which human lives were lost and assets valued in billions destroyed, "has now turned around to invite Ikenga over frivolous allegations brought by Imo's rampaging dictator. This is exactly what policing should never be!"
The party, therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police to quickly step into this matter to create a more responsible and responsive Police Command in Imo State by overhauling the highly politicized police structure in the State and removing the current Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed Barde, "who was the same police officer that helped Uzodimma to rig himself into governance."
This, he said, "will rekindle faith in the fairness and credibility of the Police and its capacity to secure Imo people."
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