Johnkennedy Uzoma, Owerri
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Imo State has condemned, in strong terms, the reported attack, assault and brutalisation of Mr. Precious Nwadike, an Imo-based journalist and publisher of Watchdog newspaper.
The party described such action as ‘another evidence’ of the sustainable subtle gagging and infringement of the freedom of the press by the current regime in the State.
In a statement issued, in Owerri, the state capital, through the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr.Ogubundu Nwadike, he noted that Mr. Nwadike was deliberately manhandled by aides and agents of the current regime under Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The party equally described it an abuse of the fundamental rights of a citizen, for even security operatives to mete out physical assault and battery on a citizen even when he contravened a law and was not evading arrest.
READ ALSO: https://www.thexpressng.com/2021/02/11/breaking-ex-lagos-gov-lateef-jakande-is-dead/
The party regretted that it was unlawful for a traffic offender to be pounced upon and brutalized by agents of government to the extent of getting broken bones, bodily sprains, bruises and dislocations adding that from the eye-witness accounts, which corroborated the narrative of the victim, Mr. Nwadike, only drove in an area where he did not know that he should not drive, because of the supposed road work in the area.
It was further confirmed that on being ordered to drive back and out of the construction area, he complied only to have been rushed at and severely beaten up by men identified as aides and agents of the current regime.
Such action the party said was an unlawful act of attacking the citizen in that manner “that makes our party hold the current regime culpable of complicity in the entire sad episode.”
The PDP claimed that the fate that was visited upon Mr. Nwadike could have been visited upon any other citizen under the same circumstances.
“Or was he pummeled to pulp because he is a journalist and publisher, who has been writing and publishing articles that posit opposition to some of the notable poor performances by Governor Uzodinma?
“The party strongly believes that Mr. Nwadike must have been deliberately victimised because he is a journalist and publisher who exposes the preponderant negative scorecard of Governor Uzodinma which they said is unacceptable.”
The opposition party expressed sadness “that right from day one of the current regime, there has been an undisguised hatred and malice for the opposition media, such that a little after this regime’s 100 days in office, for merely exercising his freedom of speech, Mr. Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, the then Director-General, Imo PDP New Media, was arrested, detained, charged to Court, arraigned and detained at the Nigeria Correctional Service at the orders of Governor Uzodinma.
READ ALSO: https://www.thexpressng.com/2021/02/11/ikpeazu-vows-to-pull-down-houses-of-kidnappers-others/
“That media operative was detained for a total 26 days before he was released on bail by a Court and to the members of the party, that was war against freedom of the press and freedom of speech by the governor.”
They observed that the building that houses the offices of ‘Trumpeta Newspaper’, a prominent Imo-based tabloid, was attacked and marked for demolition by aides and agents of Governor Uzodinma because the newspaper publishes stories about the areas of non-performance by the governor. Incidentally, one of the co-owners of the newspaper, Hon. Henry Ekpe, happens to be a the Deputy National Financial Secretary of PDP.
According to t, there has been threats upon threats directly and indirectly made by the governor with his aides and agents to media and publicity operatives of the organized opposition in the State that is led by the PDP, adding that the attack on Mr. Precious Nwadike will conveniently make the list of established physical assaults on opposition journalists in Imo State.
“The party, while expressing gross displeasure and disappointment at the continued intimidations, harassments, and physical attacks on opposition media and their operatives by the current regime, reiterates that freedom of speech and freedom of the press are constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens
“The PDP said that oppressing and suppressing citizens, particularly journalists and media practitioners by the current regime is unlawful.
“The party, therefore, charges Governor Uzodinma to rein in his aides and agents, and tutor them on the need to tolerate and accommodate free press, dissenting opinions, and opposition in general. No administration or regime can do without opposition.
“The party advised the governor’s aides and agents respect the fundamental rights of citizens, adding that under the circumstance, a violation of traffic laws, orders and directives, should result in arrest and fine, or arrest, prosecution, fine, and ultimately imprisonment as may be applicable in the laws of the land.
“The party advised that the manhandling and brutalisation of Mr. Nwadike be duly investigated to unravel the remote and immediate reasons for his ordeal in the hands of the aides and agents of Governor Uzodinma, adding that anybody and everybody implicated for taking laws in their own hands should be brought to justice and be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
