Ebonyi Group Condemns Police Dispersal Of Obi Supporters

A group, Oganihu Ebonyi Movement, Sunday, berated the Nigeria Police for allegedly aborting the one-million-man-match in support of Mr Peter Obi’s presidential bid. Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections.

THE WHISTLER reported that the rally was aborted when police operatives stormed the starting point of the exercise and used cannisters and gunshots to disperse the organizers.

The Oganihu Ebonyi Movement, which promotes peaceful co-existence in the state, in a statement issued by its convener, Dr Laz Ude Eze, described the action of the police as ‘shameful’.

According to the movement, “This shameful and utterly disgusting act is a gross violation of the constitutional rights of citizens to a peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and their democratic rights of choice.

“We call on the inspector general of police to investigate the matter immediately and punish the erring officers who abdicated their lawful duty of protecting the citizens but chose to attack them.”

The group also expressed disappointment on the position of the Ebonyi State government on the matter.

The state government had in a release by Gov Dave Umahi’s aide, Chuks Oko, said the state had no hand in the matter.

The movement described the government’s defence as baseless, adding that it was saddening that the Umahi administration aligned itself with ‘acts of oppression against the good and law-abiding people of the state’.

According to the statement, “We salute and congratulate the courageous and resilient Ebonyi people who defied the attacks and went ahead with their peaceful match.

“We want to remind the law enforcement agents that in a participatory democracy, citizens have the right to assembly peacefully and show support to any candidate of their choice. The police has a responsibility to provide protection, and not to disperse them.

“As a group, we shall continue to promote good governance maka oganihu Ebonyi State.”