Okoi Obono-Obla|29 November 2015|12:35pm
I, strongly and unequivocally condemn the use of the instrumentality of the Nigeria Police by stewards of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in collusion with unscrupulous Police Officers in the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department, Calabar, Cross River State to suppress and repress members of the opposition -All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State who are been very vociferous and critical of the policies of Governor Ben Ayade.
I totally and completely condemn the trumped and fabricated charge of threat to life and defamation of
character purportedly reported by Senator John Eno Owan, the PDP Senator representing the Cross River Central Senatorial District in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allegedly carried out by
Barrister Joseph Odok.
Barrister Joseph Odok, a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy in the University of Calabar and a Legal Practitioner has recently become one of the most vocal and acerbic critic of the policies of the Peoples Democratic Party led Cross River State Government under the leadership of Governor Ayade.
The so-called allegation of threat to life and defamation of the character made by the lawyer to Senator John Eno Owan in a petition to the Police
against Barrister Joseph Odok is a hoax, phantom and gimmicky to use the instrument of the Nigeria Police Force in collusion with the officialdom in Cross River State to silent the opposition in Cross River State of Nigeria.
I am aware that a huge sum of money was used to compromise designated Police Officers in the State Police Command by the officialdom in Cross River State to embark on mass arrest of vocal and
uncompromising critics and opponents of the Cross River State Government such as Dr. Paul Ifere,
Barrister Joseph Odok etc.
I make bold to state that the arrest and detention of Barrister Odok is the beginning of a campaign of
harassment, intimidation and hounding of the opposition in Cross River State which is at variance
with the present democratic and constitutional order in the country.
I, therefore call on the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to call his officers in Cross River State to order and warn not to allow themselves be used as cannon fodders by the Government of Cross River State and Senator John Eno Owan to oppress and repress members of the opposition and
opponents of Governor Ayade.
Okoi Obono-Obla
Victoria Island, Lagos
28th November, 2015
