Ogoja/ Yala By-Elections: PDP youths protest in Ogoja citing plan by APC to arrest members; APC debunks claim
Some youths in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency on Friday protested on the streets of Ogoja against alleged plans by the APC-controlled government in the State to arrest and detain its members ahead of February 26, 2022 by-elections.
The supporters of the PDP composed largely of youths trooped to the residence of Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe before proceeding to the Area Command Headquarters of the Nigeria Police and thereafter, the Divisional Police where they laid their complaints.
Mr. Egar Mgbanful who led the protest informed the newly transferred Area Commander to Ogoja of plans by the APC to arrest and detain them to scuttle their participation in the forthcoming elections insisting that Governor Ben Ayade has perfected plans already to change the current Police Commissioner in the State, Mr. Alminu Al Hassan.
The Area Commander in his response advised them to be law-abiding as he has just resumed at the Command and said he is yet to receive any signal to that effect.
Meanwhile, the All Progressive Congress (APC) flag bearer in the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency by-election, Chief Jude Ogbeche Ngaji has recanted the claims of the protesting PDP youths in Ogoja that they have been earmarked for arrest on trump-up charges by the government to deny their participating in the forthcoming polls.
The view of the aspirant was made known in Calabar on Saturday by the Chairman of G-18 Calabar, a pressure group to actualise his political ambition.
The Chairman of the group who preferred to talk on the condition of anonymity with LENS Reporter said he is unaware of such development as INEC is determined to conduct a free and fair election as well as create a level playing ground for all aspirants and their supporters to test their popularity at the poll.
The justling for the slot to represent the Ogoja/Yala federal constituency at the green chamber of the National Assembly occasioned by the repositioning of now Senator Jarigbe Agom is a two-horse race between flagbearers of the ruling APC and the main opposition PDP in the State.
Efforts by our reporter to get comments from PDP stakeholders and security agencies in Calabar were not forthcoming as at the time of filing in this report.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
