‘Police highly politicised’ — PDP tackles Imo CP over ‘harassment’ of members

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo has called on Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, to relieve Ahmed Barde, Imo police commissioner, of his duty.

The PDP accused the commissioner of conniving with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to attack members of the PDP and its chieftains.

TheCable reported on Wednesday that the Imo police command invited Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of the state, and Ikenga Ugochinyere, spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), over a murder, kidnapping and arson case.

The police also invited Gerald Irona, a former deputy governor of the state.

Imo PDP, in a statement by Collins Opuruzor, the publicity secretary, alleged that Hope Uzodimma, governor of the state, is using the police to attack, harass and arrest leaders of the party in the state.

“Our party notes that this fear which comes from Uzodinma’s unpopularity, cowardice and shame to participate in any fair electoral contest is common with all depots, and it invariably consumes their regimes,” the statement reads.

“The renewed onslought against former Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, former deputy Governor, Gerald Irona and Ikenga Ugochinyere Imo, is therefore the end of the ill-fated regime of Hope Uzodinma in Imo state.

“The former deputy Governor, Gerald Irona, had his residence invaded last week by armed security operatives on the order of Uzodinma. Since then, he has been in detention being prosecuted for doing no wrong.

“Again, the same police, a few days ago, wrote our party, summoning the former Governor, Emeka Ihedioha and Ikenga Ugochinyere, the Ideato Nation federal constituency member-elect of our party, for interrogation over a case of murder, kidnapping and arson.

“Our party calls on the Inspector of Police to quickly step into this matter to create a more responsive and responsible Police Command in Imo state by overhauling the highly politicised police structure in the state and removing the current Commissioner of Police. This will rekindle faith in the fairness and credibility of the police and its capacity to secure Imo people.”