Police operatives in Abuja have arrested two loyalists of the Rivers governor including the lawmaker representing the Aboada West Constituency of the state House of Assembly, Sokari Goodboy.
The police also picked up a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state identified as Ezebunwo Ichemati.
They were arrested by policemen outside the venue of the National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP in Abuja on Thursday, April 18.
In a viral video, a lady who claims to be a member of Governor Sim Fubara’s media team, said the duo were arrested on the orders of a local government chairman in Rivers State.
“All of us, the media team that came from Rivers State were together. The next thing – he (the LG Chairman) pointed out that they should arrest the present serving Assembly member who is representing the good people of Aboada West,” she said.
“The next thing that came up again, he started giving them instructions he attacked Ezebunwo and tore his shirt.
“We don’t even know what we are doing here because he has ordered that they should arrest all of us.”
The two governor’s loyalists were taken away by the security operatives to a yet-to-be identified police station.
The special assistant on Electronic Media to the governor, Jerry Omotsegunwa, confirmed the incident and called for their immediate release.
“They were there in solidarity so why should they be arrested? Going there to show solidarity, they were not the only ones,” he told Punch.
“A lot of Governors also came there with their people and coming to picket some people on the orders of an individual is not it at all. So they should be released immediately.”
Of the present 31 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, 27 led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, while the remaining four are loyal to Fubara.
