The Benue State Government has stopped political activities in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps the state.
The action followed a controversial campaign rally staged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Daudu camp last week.
In a statement on Friday, the Executive Secretary of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Emmanuel Shior, said the action became necessary to avoid further embarrassment of the IDPs.
He said the action will also stop discontented politicians from exploiting the misfortunes of the displaced persons for electoral gains.
“It is exactly one week ago, when leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Benue State, stormed Daudu to formally receive a former Speaker of the state Assembly Steven Tsav from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into its fold, Mr. Shior indicated.
“Although the event has come and gone, it has left many issues that deserve very strong caution and portray some of our leaders in a very bad light.
“Let it be noted that cross carpeting in the Nigerian context of politicking can be done at any time by anybody, but the manner the Daudu event was done leaves much to be desired for those cross carpeting and the ones receiving them.
“The choice of the venue is unacceptable and should be condemned in totality by all well-meaning Benue people and indeed Nigerians.
“The choice of Daudu for the decamping ceremony was obviously intended to portray to the general public that the defection ceremony of the former Speaker into the APC was well attended, that was one of the reasons why top echelon of the party chose a vulnerable place; home for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp.
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“There is no doubt that the IDPs are readily available to listen to anybody that visits them and are always eager to hear the good news that they will soon return to their homes where they have been forced to stay away for close to a year now.
“A quick visit to the camp will leave no one in doubt that within a minute, all the IDPs are gathered in their numbers to listen to their guest(s), which is one of the reasons that informed the choice of the venue,” the statement read.
Mr. Shior said the most condemnable part of the rally was the intimidation and harassment of the IDPs by heavily armed security personnel brought by the APC to provide security for its chieftains at the camp.
The SEMA boss said some of the IDPs who spoke with him after the event accused some party thugs of manhandling them including a woman who suffered a fracture.
According to him, the woman is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed location.
“It is worthy to note that thousands of our people from within and outside the state are currently staying in various IDPs camps across the state because a government controlled at the centre by the APC has failed to protect and guarantee their security.
“How could a sane person believe that these people who are victims of a failed Federal Government be willing to identify with a party that is the brain behind their sufferings?
“We are all aware of the fact that the sour relationship between our amiable Governor, His Excellency, Samuel Ortom and the Federal Government is because he has vehemently challenged the federal might for not doing enough to secure his subjects.
“The security architecture of our country is no doubt, controlled by the federal government and there is very little the state can do if the man at the top is not willing.
“This action by the APC and all its leaders is barbaric, unthinkable and a mockery of our IDPs. This should be the last of its kind by not only the APC but any other political party that may be willing to use any of the IDP camps for campaigns or decamping ceremonies,” SEMA warned.
