They are being held for destroying APC Campaign Billboards -PPRO
By Abasi Ita
Calabar
Tension is gradually building up in Ogoja, the headquarters of the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River State following the invasion of the serene ancient town by a special police detachment from Calabar specifically to arrest over 30 People’s Democratic Party PDP supporters who are being accused by the ruling APC for vandalizing their billboards in Ogoja
Summit Post gathered that the Police was detailed to Ogoja with a mandate to effect the arrest of the PDP loyalists identified as die-hard members of Senator Jarigbe inner circles following a petition addressed to the state police headquarters by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC
Eye witnessed account revealed that the police squad was spotted accessing Ogoja from Ndok junction before tracking the PDP boys to their homes to effect the arrest apparently guided by a guide.
Confirming the arrests, Police Public Relations officer , Cross River Command, Superintendent of Police Irene Ugbo disclosed that the opposition party members were linked to destruction of campaign billboards which the command has seriously condemned in the past while warning those behind the dastardly act to desist from such.
According to her, ” I am aware of the multiple arrests in Ogoja in connection with the destruction of APC billboards. We will interrogate and screen them upon arrival .The culprits would be charged to court while those presumed innocent will be set free”
But in a swift reaction, the State Chairman of the PDP in Cross River Barr. Vena Ikem cautioned the Police “to be weary of acting on false alarms to avoid being used to scuttle a level playing field ahead 2023 election by desperate politicians hunted by fears of losing the upcoming election arising from their abysmal performance and notorious antecedents .
He posited that “our billboards are being destroyed by APC boys across the state, even the ones at our presidential campaign office in Calabar are not spared. We have written severally to the police but no single arrest has been effected. Any discerning mind can easily decode that the police is playing a well written script crafted by a desperate fellow”
” Governor Ayade has lost all semblance of credibility amongst our people but he is desperate to return to the Senate. So we know his game plan depends entirely on intimidating voters. How that will work for him remains to be seen”
I can assure you that we will use all means at our disposal to frustrate such nefarious plans. Nigeria is still a country of law and order. He will exhaust himself before time because we will follow up all his shenanigans ”
Governor Ben Ayade, the APC Senatorial Candidate is expected to slug it out with incumbent Senator Jarigbe of the PDP for the coveted seat of the Senator representing Cross River North at the 10th Senate come 2023.
