Insecurity: Imo PDP Raises Alarm Over Plan To Indict Members

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State says it has uncovered a plot to frame and arrest its candidates and chieftains over the rising insecurity in the state.

The persons include House of Representatives member, Kingsley Uju-Chima, Ugonna Ozuruigbo, among other PDP candidates.

This was contained in a statement by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor in Owerri on Monday.

The statement reads in part: “The PDP in Imo state has been furnished with credible intelligence about a wicked conspiracy to frame, arrest and detain some key leaders and candidates of the party ahead of the 2023 general elections on trumped-up charges of masterminding insecurity.

“At the moment, some suspected criminals who have since been arrested and detained over armed robbery, rape, murder, kidnapping and other crimes are being tortured in various detention facilities across Imo state and compelled to make a volte face and admit that they were recruited and armed by opposition candidates and leaders to stoke the fire of insecurity in the state.

“In particular, these detained suspects are being taught to act a script when being paraded before the cameras, that they are part of the so-called Unknown Gunmen wreaking havoc across the state.

“They are to parrot the name of Kingsley Uju- Chima, who is our candidate for Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta /Oru West Federal Constituency, ij the House of Representatives, as their sponsor. Also, they are being tutored to implicate the Ugonna Ozuruigbo, our candidate for Isu/Nkwere/Njaba/Nwangele Federal Constituency.

"In the recent past, similar attempts had been made by the same regime of infamy in Imo to rope former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, Gerald Irona, Uche Onyeagucha and other respected leaders of the party into the festering insecurity.

“Audio recordings, including telephone conversations, with incendiary messages were cloned and ascribed to our leaders by agents of the immoral administration. 

"Furthermore, a handful of scallywags were hired and let loose in Owerri to protest and demand for the arrest of our leaders.

“Most recently, our candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency, Barr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, suffered the same fate, as trumped-up charges were preferred against him.

“In view of the foregoing, Imo PDP deems it compelling to advise the Imo State Commissioner of Police to be wary of the antics of those involved in the conspiracy.

“The police in Imo state must not lend itself to drowning political elements as an instrument for a political witch-hunt.

“The people of Imo and Nigerians at large should know that the only crime these PDP candidates being persecuted may have possibly committed is that they are very popular and overwhelmingly loved by their constituents, who have resolved to massively vote and elect them at the polls in February 2023.

“The only hope of rigging the elections, through INEC is voter register compromise and the notorious court action to stop the use of BVAS, has now been dashed completely.

"This explains the increasing desperation, frustration and aggression by those trying to frame our candidates.”

He noted that the fear of their looming defeat now pushed the conspirators the state into doing the unthinkable, “including plotting to eliminate our popular candidate but this will be vehemently resisted by our party.”

“What is important to establish here is that the ugly security situation in Imo state has become a tool for political vendetta.

"This is the height of irresponsibility on the part of those whose constitutional duty is to secure lives and property!

“Around this time in 2021, Senator  Rochas Okorocha and his son-in-law, Mr Uche Nwosu were labelled the most dreaded enemies, and sponsors of insecurity.

"A church in Nkwere had been invaded and desecrated and Uche Nwosu was abducted in a Gestapo operation.

“Now that Okorocha appears to have reconciled with the state, it is absurd that Okorocha and his son-in-law have suddenly become innocent.

"They are no longer being accused of sponsoring insecurity. This is pathetic!”

Opurozor said the party had, therefore, “Come to the informed conclusion that some of those is not prepared to face the electorate at the polls next year.

"The desperate efforts to politicize insecurity and eliminate our candidates on the basis of such shenanigans will be met with severe repercussions that go beyond the imaginations of the All Progressives Congress dictatorship in Imo.

“Our party urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police to immediately intervene in this matter and call the state to order.

“The provocative actions of the state can no longer be tolerated.

"The international community is hereby alerted to these tyrannical tendencies in Imo state which have the capacity of plunging the state and the Southeast region further into endless strife and protracted political crisis, including a bloody war.”