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| President Muhammadu Buhari |
The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over what it called the unwarranted harassment of members of the party by the Peopleโs Democratic Party (PDP) led state government.
The party noted that its members have been marked for attacks as evidenced in the last three months where their homes and business places were mindlessly raided under the guise of recovering looted government properties by agents of the state government.
It noted that the state government is pursuing a complete disbandment of the APC in the state by demonizing the leaders and members of the party through orchestrated and unverifiable allegations of defrauding the state, in order to incite the people against the party.
The petition signed by the state Chairman of the party, Hon Daniel Nwafor, read in part, โAll Progressives Congress (APC) Imo State Chapter wishes to petition to your office to Intervene and save our Party faithful and members in Imo Slate from harm, damages, threat, consequences of violence due to the incessant threats, intimidation and harassment of our members and leader, Distinguished Senator, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his teaming supporters.
Since May 29 when the present Governor Emeka Ihedioha took over the governance of the State, torture, intimidation, harassment, or unlawful seizure of persons and properties of the past Governor of Imo State. Owelle Rochas Okorocha, his immediate family and the All Progressives Congress members by the current government and its agents has been the order of the dayโ.
It continued that, โSir the most worrisome, embarrassing and violence-prone, was a conspiracy-threat and ambush led by Hon. Barr. Uche Onyeaeocha, the Secretary to the State Government, at the Imo International Cargo Airport on the 29โณ day of August 2019 against Senator Rochas Okorocha and his supporters who they heard would have come into Imo State from Abuja on that faithful day.
โIt is pertinent to inform you that Hon. Barr. Uche Onyegocha hired thugs from different parts of the Federation to attack Senator Rochas Okorocha if he had arrived Owerri. A video plate is attached to substantiate this claim.
โFurthermore, if probably the Senatorโs brothers, immediate family members and the Members of our Party had gone to receive him, the tendency of violence to erupt was very high since from the video attached to this petition, the Secretary to the State Government Barr. Uche Onyeagocha had and continues to detail the thugs to attack the Senator and chase him away from Imo State. It is true that when injustice becomes a rule, resistance becomes a duty, the consequences of the injustice and resistance erupting is that the tendency of loss of lives and property is very Imminent and highโ.
โAgainst this backdrop, the Party (APC) wishes to state categorically that when (Mello Rochaas Okorocha was the governor, no one (Including the then National House of Representative member, the governor of Imo State now. Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was ambushed, prevented from coming into Imo Stale or attacked in any form or way, from going on their lawful duties and locations.
โAlso, that the party and its members being law abiding citizens of Nigeria should not be expected to face this evil trend without resistance, and if the law enforcement agencies in the country refuse to take necessary actions, the people may retort to sell help which the consequences will not be comfortable to anyone.
โTherefore Sir we sincerely plead that you quickly intervene in this matter. The lives and properties of our leaders and members of our party in the state are in grave danger. We are living in apprehension over our safety and how long would this last.
โFinally, we plead that you cause an incisive and a thorough Investigation in this matter as we cannot resort to self-help once the efficiency of your command is obviously not in doubtโ.
