• Accuses gov, police of planning to arrest, detain opposition leaders

The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to call the state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to order.

In a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Collins Opurozor, and made available to journalists yesterday, the party also accused the governor of planning to clampdown on opposition by arresting, detaining, indefinitely, key members, advising Uzodimma to start preparing his handover note.

The statement reads in part: “We are calling on President Buhari to intervene in this matter by calling the governor to order.

“The Federal Government should not help to advance the agenda of a man who now poses serious threat to peace of Imo and safety of its citizens.

“PDP in Imo views, with dismay, the story making the rounds that the Uzodimma administration has concluded plans to arrest and, indefinitely, detain some prominent leaders of our party ahead of the 2023 general elections over some false, imaginary and trumped-up charges.

“What is really distressing about the whole saga is not so much that it is being promoted and syndicated by Uzodinma’s men, but that the state Police Command, which has been reported to be behind this provocative hatchet operation, has, till this moment, refused to come out clean about its alleged role.

“Our party, therefore, warns that the attempt by Uzodimma to gag, incarcerate, crush or eliminate our leaders will be met with stiff resistance, and would backfire.

“Uzodimma and his band of political jaywalkers must denounce aggression and give peace a chance in Imo.”

But in a swift reaction, the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Enlightenment, Stanford Arinze, condemned the accusations, saying: “Why not allow Opuruzor do his thing? He is known as a rabble-rouser trying to occupy a willingly abandoned office.

“You are a journalist, at least. Why do you have to align with these fabrications?” (The Guardian: Text, excluding headline)

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