Imo Guber: Labour Party Raises Alarm Over Attack On Party Secretariat In Imo State

The Labour Party has once again sounded the alarm over an attack on its party Secretariat in Owerri, the capital of Imo State. Suspected thugs and policemen, allegedly acting under the influence of the state government, reportedly carried out the assault.

Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, expressed concerns in Abuja on Monday, highlighting the disturbing incident. According to Ifoh, during the early hours of Monday, August 28, the Imo state Secretariat of the Labour Party faced another attack by a group comprising both police personnel and over a hundred thugs, allegedly operating on the directives of the state government.

Barrister Callistus Ihejiagwa, the state chairman of the Labour Party, had sent out an SOS earlier, urging Nigerians to assist the party, which was reportedly under siege from the attackers. Ifoh conveyed the details of the incident, stating, “In a voice mail sent to our party headquarters later, the state chairman of the party said, ‘We have been invaded by the thugs and policemen under the directives of Hope Uzodinma, they have pulled down all our flags, pulled down the banners of Peter Obi, pulled down the banners of our governorship candidate, seized People’s phone, beat people up, and committed all manners of atrocities just now in our office.’”

Ifoh continued by explaining that when the state chairman confronted the assailants, they revealed that they were acting under the state government’s orders to remove billboards, specifically targeting Peter Obi’s advertisements.

Quoting Ihejiagwa, Ifoh stated, “They were instructed to target Obi’s billboard everywhere in the city. One of the assaulted members of the party is presently hospitalized after the brutality meted at us. We are calling on the whole world to hear our predicament and come to our aid. The government is now hounding every opposition element in the state.”

The party emphasized that this is not the first time their secretariat has been targeted. Similar incidents occurred earlier in the year, and the party is urging the state government to cease using force and intimidation against opposition parties.

The Labour Party also directed a message to the Inspector General of Police, calling on him to intervene and prevent further intimidation and attacks on their members and the party in the state. The situation is raising concerns about the upcoming Governorship election in November and the safety of opposition elements in the state.