Umuahia—The Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, in Abia State, has decried the incessant intimidation and persecution of its aspirants for elective offices in the state.

Chief Oliver Eze-Obiezu, the Publicity Secretary of the party, expressed the party’s concern in an interview with newsmen  in Umuahia.

According to him,  such intimidation and persecution were not unconnected with the party’s determination to wrestle the reins of  power from the ruling party in the state.

Eze-Obiezu, while reacting to the arrest of its foremost governorship aspirant, Chief Chris Akomas by the police, said that no amount of propaganda from any quarters would  deter  the PPA from  taking over the mantle of leadership in the state come 2011.

Eze-Obiezu lamented that security agents could not abide by the rule of law, especially when there was a subsisting Federal High Court, Umuahia order, restraining the police or other security agents from further arresting or harassing Akomas.

“We are not worried that our aspirant is being persecuted for his legitimate belief and desire to serve, but for the uncivilised method employed in the arrest,” he said.

He said that the PPA had been much persecuted and labelled all sorts of names for believing in due process, transparency and with its avowed determination to enthrone good governance.

He said that he could not fathom the reason  security operatives would go ahead to arrest somebody in defiance of a court’s order.

“It is worrisome that at this age, some people will still be going against the rule of law, even when prominent Nigerians had given their lives in protecting the dignity of man.

“If anybody could disobey the subsisting Federal High Court order, restraining the police or other agents from further arresting or harassing an individual, then such a person belongs to the  medieval era.

“It is pertinent to state that our party has got its fair share of this intimidation from the ruling party and this derives from the fact the PPA is the party to beat come 2011,” he said.

Eze-Obiezu said that the party in government was jittery because it was Akomas that actually ran the governorship campaign in 2007.