“Why Are Governor Uzodimma’s Actions Tinged With Guilt?”— PDP Probes

“Our party believes that those burdened with guilt should rather offer restitution instead of resorting to intimidation of innocent people”— Excerpt from PDP statement, signed May 30 by National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan.

The People’s Democratic Party on Saturday urged Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to rethink his reactions to opposition criticism, few days after he arrested journalist Ambrose Nwogwugwu for alleged insults to his person.

Nwogwugwu, who was the PDP’s New Media director, was detained after allegedly referring to Uzodimma as a “supreme Court Governor”.

PDP raised interesting speculations on whether Uzodimma had doubts as to the legitimacy of his administration, even after the supreme Court’s approval.

PDP said:
“Governor Uzodimma should ask himself if he indeed became the governor through the ballot or through a flawed verdict of the Supreme Court as firmly established by Justice Centus Nweze”.

“Nweze also cautioned that the decision of the Supreme Court will continue to haunt our electoral jurisprudence for a long time to come”, PDP added.

According to PDP, there is a possibility that Uzodimma’s conscience might be suffering, camouflaged as aggression towards opposing views.
“Since Governor Uzodimma emerged governor through the Supreme Court, his government has been employing every method, including intimidation, in the bid to silence dissenting voices;
a situation that betrays an administration overburdened by guilt and desperation for acceptance”, PDP asserts.

PDP linked this observation to numerous reports on the brutalization of many of it’s members in Imo state, including an alleged assault on one of the Party’s leaders in Ngor Okpala.
Mr. Obinna Eke is reported to have been hospitalized following an alleged attack by APC Interim Management Chairman in Ngor Okpala while convening a meeting.

“This is in addition to a similar brutalization of our coordinator in Nguru Nweke, Aboh Mbaise, Mr. Chidi Ihedioha, who was reportedly locked up by the Police, allegedly on the orders on an APC House of Assembly member, also for convening a legitimate meeting of our party”, PDP said.

The party in their statement, further condemned the current clampdown and brutalization of opposition members in Imo state by the Uzodimma-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, claiming that UUzodimma “seeks to degrade democratic tenets, crush opposition and stifle all dissenting voices in the state”.

“Though the PDP abides by the decision of the Supreme Court, it rejects this attempt by the APC administration in the state to stifle opposition in Imo state”, PDP continues.

The PDP urged Governor Uzodimma to “pause and ponder on the collective voices, disposition and mood of the people of Imo state as embodied in persons like Ambrose Nwogwugwu, and accept the bitter truth”.

“Nigerians now know who to hold responsible should any of our members becomes a victim of sudden disappearance, trumped up criminal charges, unexplained motor accident, assassination or attack by supposed armed robbers”, the statement reads.