September 17, (THEWILL) – The Police in Ebonyi State on Saturday morning, dispersed supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, with teargas.
The supporters known as Obi-dients, had gathered at the Pastoral Centre, Mile 50, in Abakaliki, for a solidarity march before security operatives in Hilux vans stormed the area and dispersed them with teargas.
However, minutes after they were violently dispersed, the Obi supporters gathered again and proceeded with the solidarity march from Mile 50 to the G-hostel area of the state capital.
Speaking on the incident, one of the supporters, Steve Ugama, who spoke with newsmen, called on the state governor, David Umahi, to address the issue and condemned the attack on the youths of the state who, according to him, came out only with the Nigerian flag to demonstrate their support for a preferable Presidential candidate
He said, “This is inhumane and undemocratic. We gathered here this morning for our peaceful March, all of a sudden, the police came and started tear-gassing us and arresting our people.
“My phone was smashed by the police this morning. We demand that the people that they (police) have arrested be released unconditionally because they have not done anything.
“Nobody came out here with even a stone. We didn’t come out here with a pin. What we came out here with, is the Nigerian flag. What we came out here with is the symbol of the Labour Party, LP.
“This movement has been held in every other part of the country, including the state that we have a presidential candidate, and they were not fired. Nobody disturbed them because it is a peaceful rally.
“Why is Ebonyi’s case always different? The Governor, David Umahi, needs to address this. As he (Umahi) said before that Ebonyi votes belong to APC, he is an individual and he should allow us to support a candidate that is our choice.
“Nobody likes what is happening in Nigeria. And we feel that Peter Obi is the light, that will light Nigeria. He is the light that Nigerian youths want. He is the light that will stop all these attributes that are taking place in Nigeria.”
Another supporter of Obi also said many of his colleagues were injured.
However, all efforts to get the reaction of the Ebonyi State Police Command, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, as the spokesperson, Chris Anyanwu, did not take his calls.
