Anyaso’s Media Team, Wife Condemn Okorie’s Arrest, Demand Release

Family raises health concerns; media team alleges selective application of law, calls for due process

The media team of Dr. Chima Anyaso, Labour Party (LP) candidate for Bende Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections, and the wife of an arrested party supporter, Hon. Emenike Okorie, have condemned his arrest over alleged cyberbullying and cyberstalking linked to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

While the media team described the arrest as a development capable of heightening political tensions in Bende, Okorie’s wife, Mrs Ann Emenike-Okorie, appealed for her husband’s immediate release, citing concerns about his health and the welfare of their children.

In a statement signed by Promise Uzoma Okoro, ANIPR, the media team disclosed that Okorie, a former Deputy Transition Committee Chairman of Bende Local Government Area and a supporter of Dr. Anyaso, was arrested by the police on Wednesday following a petition.

The team expressed concern over what it described as an atmosphere of political hostility, alleging that individuals associated with the Deputy Speaker’s camp had repeatedly subjected Dr. Anyaso to online attacks and derogatory comments without similar calls for their arrest.

It maintained that its principal had refrained from seeking the arrest of those allegedly responsible, insisting that political disagreements should be addressed through lawful and democratic means.

The statement further recalled an earlier incident in which Dr. Anyaso reportedly visited the police in Igbere to facilitate the release of another supporter who had been arrested.

The media team argued that law enforcement authorities should handle allegations of cyberbullying and cyberstalking impartially, irrespective of the political affiliations of the individuals involved.

“We believe that political disagreements should not become a reason for intimidation or the selective application of the law. Allegations of cyberbullying and cyberstalking should be investigated fairly, impartially, and in accordance with due process, regardless of the political affiliations of the parties involved,” the statement said.

The group insisted that the arrest or questioning of its members would not deter them from expressing their political views within the confines of the law.

“No petition should be used as a tool to silence legitimate political expression or intimidate citizens,” it added.

Reaffirming its commitment to Dr. Anyaso and the Labour Party, the team maintained that electoral contests should be determined by the electorate rather than through fear or intimidation.

“Our commitment to our principal and our political convictions remains firm. We believe that the democratic process should be determined by the people through the ballot, not by fear, intimidation, or the criminalisation of political disagreements,” the statement added.

The team further declared that the development would not weaken the resolve of Labour Party members in Bende.

Wife Raises Health Concerns, Appeals for Husband’s Release

In a separate appeal, Mrs Ann Emenike-Okorie called on the Deputy Speaker to ensure her husband’s release, expressing fears over his health condition and the impact of his detention on their family.

Describing Okorie as a husband, father and advocate of what she considers truth, equity and justice, she said he was undergoing medical treatment before his arrest and expressed concern that his detention could affect his access to medication.

“My husband is currently facing a health challenge, yet they arrested him without giving him the opportunity to continue his medication. If anything happens to my husband, Ben Kalu should be held accountable,” she said.

She appealed for his immediate release, stressing that their children needed their father at home.

Mrs Okorie also questioned the circumstances surrounding her husband’s arrest, raising issues she said concerned public accountability and political differences in the constituency.

Among the issues she cited was an alleged ₦348 million garri-processing plant reportedly intended for the Umuhu Ezechi community. She questioned whether demanding accountability over the project or expressing opposition to an alleged third-term ambition could constitute grounds for persecution.

However, the claims concerning the project, the circumstances surrounding the arrest and the alleged political motivations were not independently established in the statements available for this report.

The wife further alleged that her husband had previously received threats from individuals she associated with the Deputy Speaker’s camp, adding that the arrest had heightened her fears for his safety.

She maintained that her husband would not abandon his convictions because of political pressure and argued that citizens should be free to express their views peacefully.

“If anyone believes that the use of political influence or public office can force my husband into abandoning his convictions, then they do not understand the man I married,” she said.

Addressing the Deputy Speaker directly, Mrs Okorie appealed to him to respect her husband’s rights and allow political disagreements to be handled within the framework of the law.

“Ben Kalu, I am speaking to you today, not just as a concerned citizen, but as a wife whose heart is heavy and whose children are asking for their father.

“Please, release my husband now!” she appealed.

She also called on individuals and groups who believe in justice and the rule of law to speak up for her husband, demanding due process, protection of his safety and his immediate release.

“You cannot silence a conscience by arresting the person who carries it,” she declared.

The arrest has prompted renewed calls from Okorie’s family and members of Dr. Anyaso’s political camp for transparency and fairness in the handling of the matter.

The media team insisted that its members would continue to defend their political convictions peacefully, warning that the arrest would not diminish their commitment to their principal.

The development comes amid political activities and alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political actors and their supporters increasingly engaging in public debates over representation and the future of Bende Federal Constituency.

Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Deputy Speaker’s camp were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

The police’s account of the arrest, the specific allegations contained in the petition and any formal response from the Deputy Speaker’s camp were not available at the time of publication.