…Pre-2027 tension
By Mercy Gadia
The member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has accused operatives of the Imo State Police Command of abducting and torturing his constituents in what he described as an attempt to implicate him in criminal activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State, made the allegation on Monday during a press conference in Abuja.
He specifically accused officers attached to the Tiger Base, also known as the Violent Crime Response Unit, of running what he described as a coordinated operation targeting opposition figures.
According to him, the unit had been turned into “a private army and slave camp where opponents of the state government are tortured and framed.”
The lawmaker alleged that several of his constituents had been abducted and subjected to severe torture, adding that one of the victims reportedly died in custody as part of efforts to fabricate criminal allegations against him.
Flanked by one of the mothers of the alleged victims, he said, “Imo police are abducting my constituents and torturing them in a bid to frame me for frivolous criminal allegations, terrorism, gun-running and murder.”
“They are creating fear and uncertainty in Imo State and attempting to intimidate opposition voices ahead of the elections,” he added.
Ugochinyere called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission to urgently investigate the activities of the unit, as well as alleged involvement of political actors and security operatives linked to the state government.
He also alleged that there were ongoing efforts to deregister opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 elections, including the African Democratic Congress, Accord Party, Action Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party.
According to him, such moves were designed to weaken opposition participation and eliminate credible challengers from the political space.
Describing the situation as “an invitation to anarchy,” the lawmaker warned that any attempt to exclude political parties through judicial or administrative means could destabilise the country.
“What kind of anarchy do you want this country to go through?” he asked.
“You cannot deregister political parties a few months to elections and expect Nigerians to fold their arms. You are playing with fire.”
Ugochinyere maintained that the Constitution protects political parties that have won elective positions from deregistration, citing Section 225A as legal backing for his claim.
He further commended the Court of Appeal for granting a stay of proceedings in a case relating to the deregistration of opposition parties, praising the justices involved for what he described as a courageous decision.
The lawmaker also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission not to appeal a recent Federal High Court judgment on electoral matters, warning that such action could heighten political tension.
“The country cannot afford confusion at this critical moment,” he said.
“Appealing this judgment will create tension, uncertainty and doubts about the credibility of the elections.”
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the National Judicial Council and security agencies to protect democratic institutions and ensure fairness in the political process.
“Democracy is about participation, not exclusion,” he said.
“You don’t claim to be popular while running around disqualifying opponents, deregistering parties and framing critics with criminal allegations.”