Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has reacted to order the Nigeria Police Command to tear gas supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, who staged one million-man march for their preferred candidate in the state capital.
In the early hours of Saturday, the Police dispersed supporters of Peter Obi, who gathered at the Pastoral Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, for a rally.
Newsflash Nigeria gathered that Obi’s supporters, popularly called ‘Obidients’ were to take off from the Pastoral Centre but some thugs allegedly working for another party in the State, stormed the rally venue.
Our Correspondent, who was at the Pastoral Centre of the Catholic Church, Abakaliki, saw men of the Nigeria Police Force tear gas the supporters and dispersed the rally.
The policemen were alleged to have claimed that their action was a directive from the Ebonyi State Government.
The crowd, which couldn’t withstand the harsh reality of the teargasses shot at them, retreated into the Church, where more teargasses were still being released into the Church.
This development is presently causing panic among the youths who are staunch supporters of the Obi movement for a better Nigeria.
The youths who are now scattered everywhere around G-hotel, Mile 50 road, Kpirikpiri road, among others expressed their disgust for the present administration in the State for its role in ensuring that the rally for Peter Obi never held.
“Peter Obi is our President. This rally must hold. See the shooting teargasses directly at us. They are shooting directly into the Church.
“This is despicable. The present Government in Ebonyi is full of hypocrisy. Umahi said on TV that the rally can hold, we knew he was lying See us now. Obi remains our President come 2023.”
Not minding the teargasses shot at the youths, they are still seen with their banners shouting “Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi, Obi” within the premises of the Church.
As the rally is still struggling to start within the Abakaliki metropolis, more and more youths are still coming into the Pastoral Centre, the venue of the takeoff point, in solidarity with the Presidential candidate of LP, Peter Obi.
Meanwhile, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has denied ordering the state police command to tear gas supporters of Peter Obi, who staged one million-man march for their preferred candidate in the state capital.
Umahi was reacting to the allegation that he ordered the state police command to stop the supporters who converged at Pastoral Centre, Nkwagu Ugbala Ground Arena, People’s Club, and other locations in the state.
The governor, in a statement, signed and issued to newsmen in Abakaliki by the Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Mr Chooks Oko, said the alleged disruption of the Obidients movement in the state is false.
According to the statement: “The rumours making the rounds that he (Umahi) ordered the disruption of a gathering in support of one of the presidential candidates in the 2023 elections is not true.
“The Governor of Ebonyi State is certainly not aware of any disruption of any gathering as he didn’t order any. He is a democrat who believes firmly in the rule of law. He wishes every contending politician the very best and will insist on a level playing ground for all. If it is true that the police dispersed people, the answer will surely rest with the police,” he stated.
