PRESS RELEASE

SENATOR ACHONU DECRIES SUPPRESSION, INTIMIDATION OF CRITICS, OPPOSITION FIGURES, BY IMO STATE GOVT

The Imo State Labour Party Governorship candidate for the November 11 Gubernatorial election, Senator Athan Achonu has decried the regime of intimidation and suppression of opposition party members, as well as critics of the Imo State Government, led by Governor Hope Uzodimma.

Senator Achonu, in a press statement his by his Campaign Organization, expressed his alarm and disenchantment, over the disturbing cases of this crude resort to clamp down on dissenting voices, especially the arrest and continued detention of Chinonso Uba, (aka Nonso Nkwa), who has been incarcerated for over three weeks and has now been charged to court and denied bail, as well as the rough handling treatment and humiliation meted to the Imo State PDP Governorship candidate, Senator Sam Anyanwu (Samdaddy) and his delegation, during the Iriji Mbaise event recently.

He said: “I am very much alarmed and unhappy by the obvious cases of intimidation and crude suppression of persons and voice seen and regarded as critics and opposition figures by the present Imo State Government, obviously on the instructions of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

“I am particularly disturbed by the case of the arrest and continued incarceration of the young man, Chinonso Uba, popularly known as Nonso Nkwa, who was picked up after work, at Ozisa FM, on July 27, 2023, and dragged from his car to an unknown destination, only to be told by the police that they had him in their custody, after an uproar had been raised by well meaning citizens over his sudden, abduction-like disappearance, similar to the actions of unknown gun men.

“He was subsequently whisked to Abuja, where he has been incarcerated for over three weeks, without having access to his family or lawyers, and was recently charged to court on two counts bordering on cyber terrorism and insulting Governor Hope Uzodinma and Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo. The court refused him bail on the ground that it was not an urgent matter and can wait until when courts resume fully, after their vacation in September.

“Again, there is the recent unsavoury incident which took place at the Iriji Mbaise new yam festival ceremony, where Senator Sam Anyanwu (Samdaddy), the PDP Governorship candidate and his delegation, were thoroughly embarrassed, humiliated and rough handled by fully armed unorthodox security personnel and thugs-like figures, allegedly acting on the instructions of the Imo State Governor, on the flimsy excuse that he was an uninvited guest at the event.

“These two incidents, in addition to the partial demolition and sealing up of All Seasons Hotel, owned by a prominent chieftain of an opposition party, as well as several other unreported examples of this politically motivated, strong-arm tactics of the Imo State Government to stifle and suffocate critics, are sending very very dangerous and disturbing signals, that Governor Hope Uzodimma may have perfected a ploy to intimidate, harass and even clamp down on critics and opposition elements, including Journalists and other professionals, who are dissatisfied with his administration, in the run up to the November 11 election.

“It is indeed shameful and reminiscent of a dictatorship, that some people in power are still resorting to brute force, intimidation, harassment, thuggery and all manner of devious strategies to muzzle the opposition and silence any voice it regards or perceives as criticizing them.

This is indeed an unfortunate reflection of our political trajectory in this day and age when we should be displaying greater maturity, decency and statesmanship and embracing peaceful, issues based politics, especially in this election season.

“I am however consoled by the fact that Imolites are very much aware of what is going on and also know who is responsible for the harassments and intimidation and I call on Imo people to stand firm, strong and resolute in resisting this form of suppression of their voices by doing the needful and saying ‘never again’ to these suppressors on November 11, 2023.

#It is Athanable

Signed

Chibuikem Diala
Director, Media
Senator Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation