There is concern that the Nigeria Police may have gotten involved in the battle for political control in Imo State in the upcoming March 18 State level elections. The election which had been scheduled to hold March 11 saw the Police arrest the former Deputy Governor of the State, Gerald Irona few days to the election. The election was then postponed to March 18 and the Police again, appears set to arrest more opposition party leaders. In an ‘invitation for interview’ letter sent to the leading opposition party in the State, the Chairman of the said party has been asked to produce for interview, the former Governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha, the former Deputy Governor who has remained in prison custody for more than a week and a new House of Representatives Member-elect and outspoken activist, Ikenga Ugochinyere. Human rights organisations worry that the Police invitation to these opposition leaders is politically motivated and aimed at restraining their movement during the course of State legislative elections holding Saturday, March 18.
Imo State in January 2020, joined the list of States for off-cycle elections when Emeka Ihedioha’s tenure was cut short by a controversial Supreme Court decision that saw fourth-placed Hope Uzodinma spring up and pronounced as ‘elected’ by the Supreme Court. In recent years, the political atmosphere in Imo State has been turbulent, making it a hotbed of unrest and insecurity propagated by both State forces and non-State actors, resulting in loss of lives and property. In pre-election security assessment reports issued respectively by CLEEN Foundation and Kimpact Development Initiative, member organisations of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Imo State was highlighted as one of several States with a high propensity for electoral violence.