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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Civic Action for Democracy (CAD) has warned the Action People’s Party (APP) senatorial candidate for Imo East, Dr. Chima Amadi, to desist from alleged intimidation and harassment of chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State.
The group issued the warning at an emergency press conference held in Owerri, at the weekend.
Executive Director of CAD, Franklin Ngoforo, said the warning became necessary following a court order restraining the Nigeria Police Force Cybercrime Centre, Abuja, and Amadi from arresting, harassing or inviting Mr. Collins Opurozor, an APC chieftain and appointee of Governor Hope Uzodimma. Ngoforo described the court order as a victory for democratic rights and civil liberties in the state.
“The judiciary has upheld basic democratic rights and civil liberties in Imo State by stopping Chima Matthew Amadi’s barbaric deployment of police agents to harass, intimidate, and attempt to arrest Collins Opurozor and other innocent Imo citizens who disagree with him,” he said.
He said Opurozor was targeted after questioning Amadi’s political antecedents and his ambition to contest for both senatorial and governorship positions in the same election cycle. CAD accused Amadi of intolerance to criticism, noting that while he freely criticises the administration of Governor Uzodimma, he allegedly resorted to the police when his own ambition was questioned.
“If Amadi believes that Opurozor is wrong, he should answer him with facts. Seeking to use the police to settle political scores is an admission of failure to engage on equal democratic terms,” Ngoforo stated.
The group described Collins Opurozor as an activist, political scientist, and APC chieftain whose insistence on accountability should not be criminalised. CAD further alleged that it had intercepted credible intelligence that other vocal APC chieftains in the state have been penciled down for harassment and intimidation by the same camp, adding that it was pursuing the matter through appropriate channels.
The group also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, for his professionalism, and urged him to ensure that the Cybercrime Centre is not used as an instrument for political vendetta.
“Our message to Chima Matthew Amadi is unequivocal: you cannot intimidate your way to power in Imo State. Owerri Zone is not your private kingdom, and the people of Imo are not your subjects,” Ngoforo declared.
He called on the media, civil society organisations and defenders of democracy to reject the use of state institutions for settling political scores, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
