THE police on Wednesday stopped a summit organised to highlight the achievements of a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

The programme, which was tagged Imo Good Governance Summit, was organised by Imo Transparency Group International.

The summit was to hold at Immaculate Hotel, Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, before rifle-welding policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer of New Owerri Divisional Police headquarters dispersed the delegates from the venue.

The DPO said he was implementing an order from “above” not to allow the summit to hold.

Our correspondent saw Okorocha’s ex-commissioner for Information, Chidi Ibe, exchanging words with DPO on why a programme that was legally approved should be stopped on the day it was to hold.

Our correspondent heard Ibe telling delegates that he was going to meet with the state Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Muhammed, on the matter.

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It was observed that while police stopped the pro-Okorocha summit, another summit organised in favour of Governor Hope Uzodinma at Villa Garden Hotel, Owerri, held.

Briefing journalists, Okorocha’s Spokesperson, Sam Onwuemeodo, said the CP stopped the summit on the order of the state governor.

He said, “The CP has stopped our summit. Democracy is now under threat in Imo State. The IGP should monitor the activities of the CP in Imo State. He is here to serve the people of Imo State and not the governor or the people in Imo Government House.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, said, “We received intelligence of a serious security threat at the summit venue. We quickly moved in temporarily and stopped it.

“After careful security perusal, the command gave the organisers the nod to go ahead. We did this in order to secure the lives of the delegates.”

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, when contacted, said, “The allegation (of government involvement in halting pro-Okorocha’s summit) is childish. The last time I checked, the reporting line in the police high command has not changed.