The Nigeria Police on Saturday attacked and teargassed the supporters of the Labour Party, LP, Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, who trooped out to stage a 1 million man march in Ebonyi state.
The security agencies dispersed the Obi supporters who converged at the Pastoral Centre Abakaliki, with teargas.
Many of the Obi-dent movement members, reportedly fled the venue for safety, while some were allegedly arrested by the police.
One of the leaders of the Obi-dent movement, Mr. Ugoama Stephen, who spoke to journalists in Abakaliki, at the venue, 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: “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
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.