It was a show of shame at Police Officers’ Mess in Umuahia on Tuesday as factional executives of two political parties were close to exchanging blows in front of the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Mustapha Bala.
The shameful conduct happened at the Police facility during the signing of Peace Accord by Chairmen and Candidates of 18 political parties where they were supposed to sign a pact to conduct themselves peacefully.
The Peace Accord which was organized by Abia State Police Command was progressing smoothly until the stage when the Chairmen and guber candidates of parties were invited to sign the peace register. APGA factional State Chairmen, Rev Augustine Ehiemere and Chief Nnenna Ukaegbu dragged the pen and register with each of them claiming to be their Party’s authentic leader.
Two factional Chairmen of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon Don Norman Obinna and Mr Daniel Onwukaike were also close to blows as they called themselves fake Chairmen. While Don Norman Obinna insisted that he remained ADC’s boss in the State, Onwukaike replied that the former executive led by Obinna had long been sacked by the national headquarters of ADC. The Police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna had a hectic time controlling the tension as he pleaded the rivals against using the event to settle personal scores while CP Mohammed Bala watched in disbelief. Earlier in his remarks, the new Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Bala urged the leaders, candidates and members of all the 18 political parties to maintain peace and order during their campaign period and during the general elections. The CP who advised the parties and their candidates against violent messages and actions that may overheat the State, pointed out that the State Police Command would deal with trouble makers. The CP also assured the heads of security agencies present at the occasion that his Command would work in synergy with them for the peaceful conduct of elections in Abia, come 2023.
Representative of Commander of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army Ohafia, Comptrollers of Immigration, Customs, Correctional Service, Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence attended the ceremony . Also in attendance during the peace signing deal was Sector Commandant of Federal Road Safety Commission, Abia State Fire Service, the media among others.
