…Alleges: INEC, APC plots to write Results in Orsu, Orlu flashpoints
Imo State Labour Party has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun not to allow Gov Hope Uzodinma to set the state on fire, because of his desperate quest for a second term in office.
The party which made the passionate appeal at a Press conference in Owerri,the state capital, addressed by the state chairman of the Labour Party, Barr Calllistus Ihejiagwa and Director General of Senator Athan Achonu Campaign Organization, Engr Chime Nzeribe, also alleged that INEC has concluded plans to write election results for the APC in areas in Orsu and Orlu Local Government Areas, which INEC did not designate for voting in the coming election, as a result of insecurity.
According to the party, its clarion call on the President to start taking more than a passing interest in what is happening in the state, stemmed from the daily committing of atrocious, obnoxious and tyrannical acts by Uzodinma, as depicted by the brazen and unimaginable brutalization, arrest and incarceration of the National President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The state chairman of the party who addressed the Press conference said the NLC President did not commit any constitutional breach or crime, by coming to the state to protest against the unending wickedness being visited on Imo workers by the governor.
He noted that if the governor is genuine and workers friendly what he should have done was to attend to their plights and genuine grievances, instead of letting loose his thugs on Comrade Ajaero and other national, zonal and state labour leaders, prominent among whom was the National Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Nuhu Toro.
Barr Ihejiagwa expressed anger that the governor also locked him up after his battering and dehumanization
He added that the Labour leader is presently seriously traumatized in the wake of that despicable and heinous assault on him.
The party boss made it clear that under the rudderless administration of Uzodinma Imo workers have been subjected to the worst forms of coercion, dehumanization and suppression which have pauperized them.
According to him, rather than focus on developing sustainable policies, programs and opportunities that provide meaningful living to the workers and the people, the governor has continued to pursue policies and programmes that promote division, hate, violence and bloodletting.
The LP chairman described as laughable the governor’s talk about court order, wondering when the governor who has never obeyed court orders since he became governor through curious court order, started obeying court orders.
He stressed that Comrade Ajaero’s beating and arrest has called back to mind the attack and destruction that took place at Ikenga Ugochinyere’s home in Akokwa, Ideato North LGA, the abduction of seasoned journalist, Comrade Chinonso Uba(Nonsonkwa)and several other similar atrocities, including murder of traditional rulers in the state.
He maintained that the worrisome development has further confirmed fears that he is wasting over N5b of Imo taxpayers money, to take over all the rooms in every hotel in Owerri for eight days, for the nefarious reason of housing thugs he plans to use in unleashing violence on Imo people during the November 11 poll.
Barr Ihejiagwa explained that the governor’s well documented desperation to return to office by hook or crook is gradually pushing the state to the edge of fire, noting that unless President Tinubu and other Federal Government officials, especially the security architecture act decisively and promptly the state may be thrown into serious crisis.
The party chairman therefore urged the President to start taking serious interest in what is happening in the state, pointing out that the best place to start his action is to immediately cause a change in guard in top echelon of security agencies in the state.
While congratulating IGP Egbetokun on his confirmation as a substantive IGP, the LP called on him to demonstrate those sterling qualities that helped him reach the pinnacle of his profession by calling the Imo Police Commissioner, Mohammed Barde to order.
On the allegation of plans by INEC officials to write results for the APC in crisis thorn areas of Orsu and Orlu LGAs, the party disclosed that the plan is to either hold elections in secret locations chosen by the APC or, outrightly write election results for them, as was witnessed during the February 25 and March 18 elections.
Stressing that LP is not opposed to any genuine plan that is geared towards making the affected areas exercise their civic rights, the party however, warned against any plot or scheme designed to compromise or scuttle the election, which it described as an all important election.
Insisting that the coming election must be different from other elections held recently, the party chairman noted that Imo people are determined not allow election riggers subvert their will again, even as he urged the electorate to come out en masse to vote without fear or favour as their votes will count.
Insisting that the party is for free, fair transparent and credible election, that will result in the emergence of a governor through the ballot box. the LP chairman challenged the governor to, for once subject himself to an election devoid of fraud and manipulation, if he is sure he has truly done well in the last four years, as he has continued to claim.
NIGERIA NEWSPOINT