Some campaign materials of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma in the capital Owerri have been vandalised ahead of the November 11 governorship election.
The A-frame campaign boards were strategically positioned throughout Owerri, serving as 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 destruction of the boards has raised concerns not only about the artificial political tensions the assailants were creating but also about the motivations driving such actions.
In response to this incident, the Onwa Progressives 2023, a support group for Uzodimma’s re-election, has expressed profound disappointment and frustration about the incident. They described the vandalism as an attack on democracy and a blatant disregard for freedom of expression and political campaigning.
In a statement, the group’s chairman Augustus Nduka called for a thorough investigation into the matter, with the hope of bringing those responsible to justice.
Uzodimma committed to Imo Charter of Equity – Group
“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 in the statement.
Nduka said as the Imo State governorship election approaches, this incident adds an extra layer of complexity to an already intense campaign season and negates the message of peace and tranquillity the governor has always espoused.
