Imo state police have tear gassed a group of women who
had blocked the entrance to the state secretariat of the council of traditional
rulers due to the anticipation of President Goodluck Jonathan visit.
The women are reported to
be supporters of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
The police called on the
protesters to leave the place, but when the women refused the police officers
used tear gas canisters to disperse them.
Speaking to reporters,
Iheukwumere Alaribe, the director of Rochas Okorocha’s campaign organisation, not
only criticised the use of tear gas on the women, but also blamed the police
for abusing the women.
Alaribe also blamed the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for planning to make Imo state ungovernable,
even as he stressed that “the APC will not accept any form of intimidation from
the PDP”.
He urged the security
agencies to “remain loyal to Nigeria and Nigerians and not to any particular
political party”.
Continuing, he asked Eze
Ilomuanya, the legally reinstated chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional
Rulers, to allow the status quo to prevail, adding that the case was still
being addressed at the Supreme Court.
Also reacting to the
incident, Ilomuanya’s chief press secretary, Kennedy Eweama, blamed the state
government for breaking court rulings.
“The Supreme Court had long
taken a decision on the matter but the state government is still parading Eze
Sam Ohiri as its preferred chairman. No society can thrive without the rule of
law,” he said.
Ahead of the forthcoming
polls many cases of political violence have been recorded by police.
Recently violence broke out
in Saminaka town, Lere local government area in Kaduna, after the destruction
of politicians’ campaign billboards.
Supporters of the PDP
reportedly vandalized cars with guns and stole in Lagos yesterday, March 25.
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