Otti Decries Stoppage of APGA Prayer Service in Aba

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, has decried the use of the police to scuttle a prayer and thanksgiving service organised by some religious leaders in conjunction with the state chapter of APGA to thank God for the success of Otti at the Court of Appeal in Owerri.

The thanksgiving service which was slated for Aba on Monday, January 11, 2016 was aborted when APGA faithful and invited church ministers arrived at the venue and discovered that it has been taken over by security personnel.

In his reaction to the incident, Otti in a statement made available to journalists in Umuahia wednesday, described the government’s action as an abuse of power by the state government.

He said it was unthinkable that a governor could engage the police to stop people or political party from celebrating their victory in a solemn and peaceful manner, adding that “this has never happened in a democracy.”

However, he urged the organisers of the botched event and his supporters to remain calm and peaceful, in spite of any provocation.

The state government had last week in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Bonnie Iwuoha, said the governor had banned processions, protests and all forms of politically inspired marches in order to maintain the peace in the state.

But Otti insisted that the action “is a temporary measure by the government to intimidate and gag the people,” adding that “no amount of intimidation or harassment would stop the people from expressing their joy and feeling of liberation, which the Court of Appeal judgment has brought to them and the state.”

He said: “The stoppage of a prayer session in Aba by the government merely showed how desperate Ikpeazu and his hirelings are to hang on to power against the wishes of the people, who voted out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the election. Sooner than later, they will pack their bags and baggage out of the Government House, whether they like it or not.’’

The former bank boss assured Abians that nothing would stop his inauguration as the next governor of the state, saying that he was confident that the Supreme Court would affirm the Appeal Court judgment.


Read more gists here:  http://afrogalleria.page.tl