Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri
The House of Assembly candidate for Owerri Municipal state constituency, in Imo State, under the Labour Party, LP, Clinton Amadi, was on Wednesday arrested by the police at the Owerri office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, while trying to inspect and collect certified copies of the just concluded election.
The leadership of the Labour Party, in Imo State, under Festus Onyekwulisi, confirmed this to newsmen in Owerri.
According to LP, Amadi was at the Owerri office of the INEC, based on a court order he obtained from a competent court, to inspect and collect certified copies of the just concluded House of Assembly elections in Imo.
Onyekwulisi called for the immediate release of Amadi, and that the arrest was a violation of his constitutional rights.
“The Labour Party in Imo State demands the immediate release of the party’s House of Assembly candidate of Owerri Municipal Local Government Area in the last election, Hon. Clinton Amadi, who was today illegally arrested and detained by men of Nigeria police from Tiger Base unit of Imo State command.
“Our candidate, in obedience to a court order he obtained from a court of competent jurisdiction, had gone to inspect and collect certified true copies of the result of the election at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Owerri under his petition at the election tribunal wherein the arrest was made with no arrest warrant nor prior invitation by the police.
“This is condemnable and a total violation of our candidate’s right. We are not unaware that our party members and particularly our candidates who have taken to the tribunal to seek to reclaim their victories which were stolen by the APC candidates with the support of the State Government and security agencies have been singled out by the state government for assault and intimidation.”
“Hon Amadi committed no offense by attempting to inspect electoral material. His offense as judged by the irresponsible government of Imo State and the APC is his courage to approach the tribunal, hence the unleashing of a physical attack on him using the compromised Imo police command.
“While demanding the immediate release of Hon. Amadi, we equally demand a stop to all forms of harassment of Labour Party candidates and leaders in the state by the state government. Democracy and our constitution provide for the space of the opposition and we have been civil and law-abiding in discharging our responsibility to Imo people,” LP said.
