The supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party, were allegedly assaulted and tear-gassed by the Nigerian police on Saturday, as they staged a march in Ebonyi State.
It was learnt that tear gas was used by the security forces to scatter the Obi supporters who had assembled at the Pastoral Center Abakaliki.
Many members of the Obi-dent movement, following the incident left the area in search of safety, while others are said to have been detained by authorities.
Mr. Ugoama Stephen, one of the leaders of the Obi-dent movement, spoke to journalists at the event in Abakaliki and urged the state governor, David Umahi, to address the situation. He also denounced the attack on the state’s youths, who, in his opinion, had only carried the Nigerian flag to show their support for a preferred presidential candidate.
He said: “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” he stated
Ebonyi State Police Command is yet to respond to the development as of the time this article was filed.
