From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Imo State Government has denied the allegation by the former governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Chief Uche Nwosu, that it had masterminded his recent arrest at a church service at Nkwere.
Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Declan Emelumba, who made the denial while reacting to Nwosu’s claim, described the allegation as a ‘malicious concoction that can only be made by a drowning man.’
He stated further that ‘it is pitiable that rather than go into a sobering reflection on his arrest, Nwosu, upon his release on bail was in a hurry to allege without any proof, that his arrest was masterminded by Imo State Government.
‘There is no truth whatsoever in that allegation as it is a figment of his imagination. It is natural for a drowning man, to clutch on any available straw to save himself. But spurious and baseless allegations are not the kind of straw that can save a drowning man.
‘It is quite curious that in all of Imo State, it was only Uche Nwosu that the police targeted to arrest in such a manner for no just reason? Only time will tell.
‘It should be emphasized that the government of Senator Hope Uzodinma does not believe in tyranny or lawless behaviour as was in the case when Uche Nwosu was the defacto Deputy Governor of the state.
‘This Government believes in rule of law and due process and would not attempt to usurp the Constitutional responsibility of the security agencies.
‘However, we believe that in the fullness of time, Imo people and indeed Nigerians will be apprised by the relevant agencies who the bandits in the state are and the real reason for the arrest of Uche Nwosu.
‘No amount of blackmail and infantile vituperation against the Government would obliterate the fact that the police have opened a case against Uche Nwosu and he will sooner than later give an account of his actions,’ Emelumba stated.