BY CHARLES KUMOLU
IMO State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned  suspension of salaries of some traditional rulers by the state government for alleged security breach, saying the move would be counter productive.

It also called on the state government to release  the suspended salaries of the affected traditional rulers to douse tension in the state.

A  statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Blyden Amajirionwu  noted that traditional rulers were not the chief security officers in their respective local government areas, hence should not be blamed.

The party said, “the attention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State, has been drawn to the decision of the APGA- led state government to suspend the salaries of traditional rulers in some local government areas of the state, namely Nkwerre, Orlu, Oru East, Oru West and Nwangele”. According to reports reaching the party, this decision is ostensibly based on what the state government claims to be security breach”.

Besides, it argued that “in as much as the PDP would support any move by the state government to ensure the security of lives and property of Imo citizens, it frowns at the tendency to adopt undemocratic and arm twisting tactics  that would end up being rather counter productive.”

It further stated that PDP would continue to support measures  that would guarantee maximum security in the state.

“As stated earlier, the PDP, as the custodian of the peoples’ conscience, stands for any measures that would guarantee maximum security in the state. But it would remain steadfast in its principle that power belongs to the people and that any tendency to abuse it will remain repugnant and unacceptable to the good people of Imo State,” PDP noted.

Continuing, it said, “the party, therefore, wishes to advice the state government to release, forthwith, the suspended salaries of the affected traditional rulers and desist from further precipitate actions for the interest of the entire state.”