It is no secret that the federal government has come down heavily on the Rivers State Governors loyalists with the invitation of the IG and also the invitation of the EFCC. Day after day, more and more people loyal to Governor Amaechi are picked up and this has set fear down the spine of most people who prior to now freely expressed their opinion. In a swift reaction to this, a House of Representatives member, Mr. Ogbonna Nwuke, has condemned what he described as the arbitrary.
He Noted that the alleged arresst was a violation of the tenets of popular democracy, Nwuke, representing Etche/Omuma federal constituency, Rivers State, warned that the people should not be harassed over their political views.
In a statement he said: “I condemn the arbitrary arrests and detention of my constituents. People should be allowed to express their views. It is against the tenets of our democracy. The anti-Amaechi leaders and groups are attacking the governor and the Rivers State Government on a daily basis, nobody has touched them, so why should they arrest persons in my constituency, who were only expressing their minds and political affiliation. This is a clear case of intimidation and victimisation.
“The Police must be seen and perceived to be acting above board. This looks like a clear case of taking sides against Rivers people in the political crisis in the state. In the midst of this crisis, one would have expected that the police would be neutral and discharge their duties without bias but unfortunately, the reverse is the case.”
A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain in the area, Mr Darlington Nwanju, who also condemned the actions of security operatives in the arrests, said it was sad that some had chosen to use security operatives to harass and intimidate loyalists of the governor in the area.