By Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa Abuja and Chukwudi Nweje,
With less than two weeks to the forthcoming governorship poll in Imo State, hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the opposition parties have continued to vandalize the campaign materials of the All Progressives Congress(APC)candidate, Governor Hope Uzodimma.
In a statement, the chairman, Onwa Progressives 2023, a support group for Governor Uzodimma’s re-election, Augustus Nduka, condemned a disturbing act of vandalism, with the agent of opposition parties allegedly destroying the governor’s striking A-frame boards that had adorned the city’s streets.
The A-frame boards were strategically positioned throughout Owerri, serving as essential campaign tools to communicate the government’s achievements and programmes to the people of Imo State. These visually appealing structures featured captivating designs and colourful messages that highlighted the accomplishments and future plans of the Uzodimma administration.
The campaign A-frame boards had received applause and praise from residents of the state, with some of them describing it as a welcome development, saying the APC candidate has again demonstrated his commitment to a non-violent campaign ahead of the November 11 governorship election.
However, under the veil of darkness, unknown individuals ruthlessly damaged and destroyed the A-frame boards, raising concerns not only about the artificial political tensions they are creating but also the motivations driving such actions.
Nduka expressed profound disappointment and frustration about the incident, describing the vandalism as an attack on democracy and a blatant disregard for freedom of expression and political campaigning.
He called for a thorough investigation into the matter, with the hope of bringing those responsible to justice.
“The governor has consistently stressed his commitment to peaceful elections and urged all political parties and their supporters to engage in healthy competition free from violence or vandalism. It is shocking to witness the reckless destruction of campaign materials belonging to the governor. We awoke on a Saturday morning to discover that the A-frame boards of the governor along Airport Road and some other areas in the metropolis had been destroyed by these agents of darkness, all in the name of politics.
“The preliminary investigation by our men revealed that the opposition parties are behind this destruction, and we strongly feel it is unhealthy for our politics. This act of vandalism is fundamentally undemocratic, and we implore the security agencies to intensify their efforts to ensure swift and effective responses to acts of destruction while upholding peace within the state. We also urged the Imolites not to express worry over the incident because the governor is only focused on delivering democratic dividends and won’t be distracted by the antics of the agents of destruction,” the group said.
Nduka said as the Imo State gubernatorial election approaches, this incident adds an extra layer of complexity to an already intense campaign season and negates the message of peace and tranquility the governor has always espoused.