The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has raised alarm, accusing Governor Hope Uzodinma of attempting to arrest PDP leaders in the state and keep them away during the state assembly election on Saturday in order to rig the elections for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP raised the alarm after the Imo State Police Command invited former Governor Emeka Ihedioha; his deputy, Gerald Irona, and spokesperson for the Coalition of United Political Parties (CNPP), and an elected House of Representatives members, to represent Ideato North and South Federal Constituency in the 10th National Assembly, Ikenga Ugochinyere, Imo for interrogation for allegations of murder, kidnapping and arson.
The Imo Police Command in the invitation signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, Ukachi Opara, dated March 13th, 2023, titled: “Re: Case of murder, kidnapping and arson” sent to the PD State Chairman in Imo State, Charles Ugwu, told the State chairman to present the invited persons at the State Criminal Bureau of the police command for interrogation on Thursday.
The PDP State Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, in a statement, decried that the invitation is insane and puerile. He stated that “the invitation is a calculated attempt by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State to arrest and keep prominent leaders of the PDP out of circulation during the House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18th, to enable the state government perfect the rigging of the elections.”
Opurozor further said that the invitation by the police was a plot by the APC government in Imo State to destabilize the PDP governorship primary election in a month’s time.
The PDP urged the Inspector General of Police to intervene urgently, alleging that the Imo State Police Command “has been highly politicized”; the party demanded the removal of the Commissioner of Police in the state.