TheCable

The Imo government has asked the Labour Party (LP) to leave Hope Uzodinma, governor of the state, out of its crises.

Umar Farouk, national secretary of the LP, on Monday had alleged that the Imo governor was trying to hijack the party in the state after security operatives invaded the premises of the party.

Reacting to Farouk’s comment, Declan Emelumba, Imo commissioner for information and strategy, on Tuesday said the invasion of the LP secretariat by security officials was to enforce a court order.

He described Farouk’s allegations against Uzodinma as “mischievous and satanic”.

“A faction secured a court order against the institution of a caretaker committee by another faction, thus necessitating the pasting of the order at the state secretariat of LP,” Emelumba said.

“It is common knowledge that the Labour Party in Imo state has been engulfed in a leadership crisis even before the election. So, it is mischievous and even satanic for the national secretary to accuse the Governor of trying to hijack the party.

“The governor has no need to be interested in the internal crisis of LP as he is busy attending to the affairs of the state.

“Uzodimma is not a member of LP. He is not among those who went to court. He is not threatened by the activities of the party, so why drag his name into their crisis?

“Everybody in Imo state knows that the police were there to enforce a court order and save some rascals from themselves. Imo state government has absolutely nothing to do with that.”