Women shut down Imo to protest Okorocha’s intimidation by presidency

Owerri, the Imo State capital, was literally shutdown yesterday as thousands of women from the 27 local council areas of the state protested alleged intimidation and harassment of the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha by the presidency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Human and vehicular movements in the capital city came to a standstill while the protest lasted.
Addressing journalists yesterday, one of the protesters, Mrs Tessy Ohanuba, stated that the women of the state simply came to Owerri to express their anger over what she described as the intimidation and harassment of the state governor, by the presidency and its agencies especially EFCC.
“The Federal Government has been using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to intimidate and harass the officials of the state government ever since Okorocha became the governor of the state, which is just to distract the government.
“We are asking the Federal Government to support this performing governor and stop distracting him. We are calling on the gender-friendly president to listen to the cry and see the tears of the women and call those harassing the state governor and his team to order,” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Adaku Agbugbaeruleke, said that the alleged plot to remove Governor Okorocha, was unacceptable, stressing that the Federal Government should not manipulate the apex court but should allow justice to prevail.
“If President Jonathan supports Governor Okorocha in his efforts to make Imo better, the women of Imo will in turn, support him again in 2015 like we did in 2011. So, we don’t like the continuous harassment of the governor; that is why we have left our children and businesses to come to Owerri this morning. We are appealing to the president not to create confusion in the state.”
The women also besieged the INEC office along the Port Harcourt/ Owerri road, to demand the immediate release of the Oguta Assembly re-run election or announcement of a new date to conduct election in the remaining wards.
THE SUN