LP urges FG, security agencies to stop Abia govt from violence against party

Abia State Labour Party (LP), at the weekend, called on Federal Government, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS) and other law enforcement agencies, saddled with responsibilities of ensuring peace and order, to caution Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and his state administration to avoid setting the state on fire.

The party also demanded, among others, that the state government should stop its acts of violence against the party, and, without delay, release the party’s chieftain, Dr. Nwa Igburu, alleged to have been illegally arrested by state agents.

LP’s state Campaign Coordinator, Acho Obioma, said their complaints and calls were as a result of renewed destruction of party’s campaign billboards, illegal arrests of members, as well as threats to their life and property by state agents.

He further accused the state government of over-heating the polity, cautioning that the aforementioned acts should be stopped to prevent setting the state on fire as election campaigns are in top gear. He warned that the party might call for the declaration of state of emergency by Federal Government if these activities against the party continued.

Obioma recalled that few months ago, following the party’s protest and report of destruction of their campaign billboards, the DSS and police intervened and cautioned the General Manager of Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency, Mr. Anthony Otuonye, who was being used to perpetrate these acts of violence.

He said: “Sadly, after repeatedly destroying our billboard located around Umuikaa junction, at the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, the government and its agents, at the weekend, arrested one of our party’s chieftains from Isiala Ngwa South after he and other party faithful prevented them from carrying out another act of destruction of our billboard few days ago.

“Interestingly, the state government has not been able to establish any lawful reason for the destruction of our campaign billboards, except that our presence in the election contest in Abia has thrown the government into a panic mode, hence the resort to violence.”