The United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for Orlu Senatorial zone, Comrade Precious Nwadike over the weekend, expressed worries over what he described as “a calculated plot to rig him out” in the forthcoming election, using security personnel, who are close to the Imo state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
According to Comrade Nwadike, who spoke to our reporter at his campaign office in Orlu, “the recent removal of the state Commissioner of police, Galadanchi and his sudden recall through the efforts of Governor Rochas Okorocha, has confirmed his fear that the Governor is banking so much on the security agents to help him win the senatorial election. He said, “Over time, we have had some compromised security personnel, following sitting Governors or politicians around to intimidate electorate in order to cause voter apathy. This is what they want to do having known that the people of Orlu zone have rejected them”. He expressed fears that the manner with which Galadanchi and his henchmen were deployed and recalled smacks of a sinister motive, but assured that the people will do everything to forestall any plan to thwart the will of the electorate.
The journalist turned politician, recalled number of times the Okorocha’s led government had used the police to intimidate him which he said will be worse during the fast approaching election. Speaking further, he narrated how on the 18th of August, 2018, men of Federal Anti Robbery squad (FSARS), arrested him during a sensitization tour at Orlu. When asked what offence he committed, the leader of the squad said, it was for failure to secure a permit from the relevant authorities before the rally, was organized.
Comrade Nwadike advised the Governor to go to Orlu and campaign rather than banking on the crude and undemocratic method of winning election while stating that no amount of intimidation will deter him from contesting, winning and serving the people of Orlu zone.
It will be recalled that Comrade Nwadike as the Publisher of Watchdog Newspaper, has severally been arrested over what the proponents of Rescue Mission Government, of Rochas Okorocha, described, as unfavourable publications against the Imo State Government.
At first, it was the issue of bailout fund, in which the Newspaper alleged that a cook attached to Uche Nwosu, the then Chief of Staff and son-inlaw to the Governor, Rochas Okorocha, carted away with some money meant for payment of civil servants and pensioners which prompted the police to arrest Nwadike and subsequently arraigned him in magistrate court in Owerri.The matter is still subsisting and is fixed for January 14,2019.
