By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

Imo State Police Command has appealed to politicians to eschew bitterness and rancour as they go about their campaigns.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, made the appeal yesterday, while reacting to the fracas that resulted from the planned forum organized for governorship candidates by the Justice Development and Peace Commission, JDPC of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.

He expressed worry that the presence of security personnel could not deter the hoodlums, who destroyed the podium that was set for the programme.

“There was no partitioning where each party and its supporters would stay. All were mixed up in the crowd. So, in such a situation, what do you expect? The effect came as a result of a mammoth crowd of supporters of the five gubernatorial candidates”, the PPRO said.

Reacting also, the Coordinator, Justice, Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the forum, Rev. Fr. Casmir Nze, described the incident as most unfortunate.

“If you see what we sent out to them, we warned that people should not come here with their party insignia, flags, symbols, T-shirts or whatever. We knew that some of these things could happen. Everything was prepared very well”, Rev. Fr. Nze said.