Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A group of young professionals and businessmen from Imo State, under the auspices of Imo Concerned Citizens Forum (ICCF) has warned that no threat from Governor Hope Uzodinma, will cow and intimidate the indigenes from continuous protest against the unjust ruling of the Supreme Court.
Convener of the group, Engr Kingsley Onwubiko, in a statement revealed that many peace-loving indigenes of Imo will embark on fasting and praying for courage on the side of Supreme Court justices to redress the injustice of the first ruling.
While commending Imo people for showing solidarity to Emeka Ihedioha, he specifically expressed gratitude to them for trooping out last week in response to their call for peaceful demonstration against the judgment.
“We laud Imolites for their refusal to be silenced by the forces of evil who used all manner of threats, intimidation and blackmail to stop them from speaking up, protesting and praying against the wrongful decision of the Supreme Court which has plunged the state into serious confusion, leading to the reversal of the gains of democracy and development witnessed during the eight months stay of Governor Emeka Ihedioha.
“The voices of Ndi Imo were heard all over Nigeria and in the diaspora, showing the resilience and intellectualism of the Imo citizenry,” Onwubiko said.
He further commended the peaceful manner which Imo people responded to the Supreme Court decision and regretted the attempt to use the Imo House of Assembly, an institution that should be the representative of the people, “to stampede, cajole and intimidate Imo citizens from freely expressing their right to freedom of expression regarding the wrongful removal of a performing governor of Imo State.”
According to him; “as the Supreme Court is set to hear the application for review on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, the group urges all Imolites to pray to God to deliver our dear state from the forces of evil who have hijacked the state and have engaged in massive looting and plundering of the Imo commonwealth.”
Onwubiko also decried the level of retrogression and backwardness the decision of the Supreme Court had led the State, but stated that all hope was not lost as there were signs that there would be light at the end of the tunnel.
“We strongly believe that the miscarriage of justice by the Supreme Court decision on Imo guber would be reversed upon hearing the review of the application filed by the people’s governor, Emeka Ihedioha.
“We call for continuous prayers from all Imo citizens, against those who were bent on derailing the gains of development and progress for Imo State. We therefore appeal to the learned justices of the Supreme Court to find courage to redress the catastrophy caused by their own judgment as a result of the misleading facts presented by the Imo APC governorship candidate,” the group noted in the statement.