Omehia Risks Arrest Over Brutalization Of TUC President, Inspector

The President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele and members of his entourage monitoring yesterday’s election in Rivers State were attacked by political thugs loyal to the APGA governorship andidate, Sir Celestine Omehia, in his home town Ubima.

Speaking to newsmen on arrival in Port Harcourt, after the incident, Esele said he and his team had monitored the election in Emohua Local Government Area before stopping over at Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area, where the poll was equally peaceful in several polling units.

Esele disclosed that when they were heading to their car, five men and a lady approached them after seeing their tags as observers, complaining that after accreditation they were not allowed to vote.

According to the TUC boss, “I said it was not possible and requested to see if they had actually been accredited. And they quickly showed me the ink mark on their fingers. But as an observer, I told them I could not do anything except to refer them to the appropriate people. At that monet I saw a policeman on a bike and begged him to help them to enforce their right.”

According to him, “the Police Inspector obliged and requested to know the unit. Eventually he took them to ward 8 Unit 16, and out of curiosity we decided to accompany them to see how he was going to resolve the issue, and he eventually succeeded before we had a twist to the whole episode.”

Esele alleged that the APGA governorship candidate arrived the polling unit when they were about to leave, looking angry and questioned the policeman why he was at the polling unit and not police station.

Omehia ordered the cop out while thugs that came with him gave the police inspector the beating of his life.

“The APGA governorship candidate looked angry and said to the policeman ‘what are you doing here? You are supposed to be in the station not here.’ And told the cop ‘ get out of here before I change my mind.’ And his boys descended on the policeman heavily, and we started moving towards our vehicle,” Esele said.

He equally explained that the thugs came towards them but they quickly entered the car but before they could move, one of the SUVs in the APGA candidate’s convoy blocked their car and the driver managed to reverse.

Because the doors of the labour leader’s car were locked the thugs stoned and damaged parts of the vehicle before they escaped.

The TUC President expressed surprise that a governorship candidate could encourage the brutality meted out to the policeman and his team, adding that “if I had not witnessed it, I would probably think the Rivers State Chairman merely got himself into trouble.”

Meanwhile, the Police Inspector, Josiah Udoh is receiving treatment at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt.

When P.M.NEWS contacted, the Rivers State Police Command Spokesman, Ben Ugwuegbulam, he confirmed the incident but said he was yet to know the action the authorities will take over the incident.

“But be rest assured that action would be taken,” he said.
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt