CUPP Alleges Clampdown on Opposition in Imo, Seizure of PDP Campaign Materials

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has alleged that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Imo state is clamping down on members of opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seizing their campaign materials.

CUPP in a press conference in Abuja, accused Imo Commissioner of Police (CP), Mohammed Ahmed Barde,  of colluding with the ruling party in the state to seize voter education and campaign materials belonging to its Spokesman and PDP House of Representatives Candidate, Ikenga Ugochinyere.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the co-spokesman Mark Adebayo also alleged the detaining and torturing of those in possession of the materials for six days without charging them to Court or releasing them.

He further alleged that the lawyer who went to secure the bail of the arrested people was also arrested and detained but was released after three days.

Adebayo also said the Imo CP shielded those responsible for voter register manipulation but only went ahead to charge innocent INEC staff to Court and action which has been struck out by the court for lack of evidence.

He further said attacks on Ugochinyere had been politically motivated because of his revelation of the voter fraud last year.

He therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to immediately redeploy  the CP of  the state for his alleged involvement in the attacks on Ikenga and also his involvement in politics.

He also called on both local and foreign election observers to note Ideato as a flash point for possible election-related violence due to the activities of APC led state.

Adebayo said: “Here is a video footage of the third attack on country home of the Spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere by  gunmen in the 7th February, 2023. The information we have been able to obtain sadly shows that the CP of  Imo State Command Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Barde knows more about the attacks onUgochinyere than he is telling the world. During the attack on the 14th January 2023 people who received the SOS sent out by Ugochinyere reached out to the CP and he assured them he had already dispatched a team to the place, sadly, the team dispatched must have missed their way because more than a month after, they are yet to arrive at his house. Clearer evidence of that will be supplied to the hierarchy of the Police when the inquiries begin. We have cause to believe that officer from FIIB Abuja was flown in via a private jet to come and lead this hit.

“Either way, Governor’s Office Imo State was awaiting the news of Ugochinyere’s death to be announced on the 7th February, 2023. Like the governor exposed himself after the January 14 attack, he was clearly so shocked that Ugochinyere survived the attack that he could not get himself to change the already prepared storyline for the attack. This recording will indeed help the Nigerian security agencies in solving the mystery of the gunmen in Imo State and expose Governor Hope Uzodimma for who he truly is and the kind of so called security report he claims to be at his disposal.

“How many citizens have needlessly lost their lives because they refused to align politically with Governor Hope Uzodimma? How many? How many? How many?Chinasa Nwaneri has boasted to many who had reached out to him concerning Ugochinyere’s allegations that he will keep his promise to Ugochinyere and that the police cannot do anything to him. Chinasa has claimed that the Commissioner of Police Imo State reports to him and that it is the report that the Governor wants that goes to Abuja. Chinasa now contests the authority of the IG if he says he is the one the Commissioner of Police Imo State will report to and that final instructions will come from him.”