By Collins Osuji, Owerri
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Imo State chapter, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency in the state over lingering security challenges.
During a World Press Conference held at the party’s Secretariat in Owerri, yesterday, the state Chairman, Charles Ugwuh, described Imo as a peculiar conflict state that requires urgent and responsive intervention.
He said: “If the insecurity in Imo persists, President Buhari should declare a state of emergency.”
Ugwu, represented by the state Secretary, Ray Eneana, also called on the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) review the entire security architecture and personnel deployed to the state to tackle insecurity in the state.
Ugwu also regretted that over the past three years, there has been a steady degeneration of the security situation in the state, characterised by kidnapping, arson, attacks and killing of innocent citizens.
He stated that, Imo people have been traumatised by unending reign of terror, which has created fear and anxiety in the state, as well as threatening to paralyze social and economic activities in the state.
Also reacting to recent attack on the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the party advised that the intelligence gathering capacity of security agencies in the state should be strengthened through deployment of technology, to enable them adopt a preventive approach to security management in place of current counter-productive combat strategy.
According to the party, since the flag-off of its campaigns in December 2022, efforts to reach out to the electorate through open rallies have suffered setbacks on account of the atmosphere of fear and anxiety that has enveloped the entire state.
Imo PDP also expressed worry that its candidates for elections, as well as leaders and stakeholders of the party are being warned and threatened by unidentified persons to stop all forms of political activities or face unpleasant consequences.
He said: “Ugochinyere and all PDP candidates and leaders should be provided with police security in view of threats to their lives.
“The irony is that the state government, under Hope Uzodimma, which has a primary responsibility to protect life and property, is not only incapable of securing the state, but also appears complicit in the escalation of insecurity.”
Source: The Guardian
