By Chioma Onuegbu
Uyo—The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has demanded the immediate release of all its members, who were unlawfully arrested and detained by security operatives in the state.
PDP in a statement Thursday, in Uyo by its state Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said, “Before the elections, we had notified the whole world of plans to harass, arrest and incarcerate high ranking members of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State, on the instigation of the APC.
“As we had predicted, hundreds of our people were arrested and detained and till date are yet to be released. These arrests were made without lawful justification and for the most flimsy reasons, like wearing a PDP cap. Most of the detainees have been denied access to their families and friends.
“With the first leg of the election over, it is pertinent to demand, one, that all security agencies should immediately and unconditionally release all those who were arrested for political reasons.
“Second, where there is any strand of evidence of wrongdoing against them, they should be prosecuted. Third, we demand that all security agencies should act lawfully and within the bounds of the law.”