Women, security operatives clash at Jonathan’s town hall meeting

by Ranti Joseph

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Hundreds of women protesting the takeover of the Women Development Centre in Owerri, the Imo State capital for President Jonathan’s town hall meeting with a faction of traditional rulers headed by Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, were teargased by stern looking security men who barricaded the road leading to the Centre.

The women who defied all entreaties by the heads of the security agencies in the state, took over the roads leading to the venue of the town hall meeting on Tuesday, chanting anti-Jonathan slogans. Scores of them were wounded, while several others suspected to be asthmatic fainted after inhaling the tear gas fume.

The Director General of the Centre, Ndidi Iheme, stated that the over 2,500 women drawn from across the 27 Local Government Areas of the State, were billed for a training at the centre on the conduct and role of women in the 2015 general elections.

She stated further that the centre has been locked up for the past five days without any explanation, adding that, there is no court injunction whatsoever restraining them from having access to their office but have been locked out for over five days without explanation.

“We have slated a training for the women today at the centre and we came this morning to start but were denied entrance by the security men. We were not given any prior notice about the President’s visit or any information that the centre was going to be used for any town hall meeting of any sort and we have resolved that we are not going to allow this intimidation,” she said.

It was however gathered that Jonathan’s decision to visit the Eze Ilomuanya led faction of the Traditional Rulers’ Council may have provoked the authorities in the state.

Ilomuanya, who was deposed as a traditional ruler by the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, over his romance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was recognized by Jonathan, obviously to spite the state government.

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