Governor Rochas Okorocha’s convoy was attacked yesterday in Oguta Council Area of the state by youths allegedly recruited by a candidate for the rescheduled Imo House of Assembly elections scheduled to hold next week.
It gathered that Governor Okorocha, who was in Awa community in Oguta to drum up support for Chief Walter Uzonwanne, the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for the election slated for next week was on his way out of the community when an opposition candidate was also on his way to Awa community.
According to an eyewitness account one of the outriders on the Governor Okorocha convoy had knocked down one of the motorcyclists on the campaign train of the candidate and that instead of the security details on the governor’s convoy to assist the man, they descended on the hapless man and started beating him.
It was learnt that the attitude of the governor’s security men angered the youths, who blocked the passage of the governor as the youths reportedly descended on one of the outriders, who was beaten to stupor by the irate youths and was dispossessed him of his walkie-talkie.
“For several hours, the irate youths barricaded the road and prevented the governor’s convoy from continuing on the journey while some of them were throwing sachet water and other objects at the security operatives, who ordered them to vacate the road.”
It was further gathered that the situation could have degenerated to bloodshed but for the prompt intervention of the governor, who directed his security aides to handle the situation with utmost care.
However, when contacted, the candidate described the allegation as unfortunate, insisting that he had no powers to attack a governor’s convoy.
In his words: “I was going to Awa community to address my supporters ahead of next week’s election when I saw the governor’s convoy coming from the opposite direction. At first I thought it was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.
“One of the outriders knocked down one of the motorcycle riders in my campaign train and the boy was seriously wounded and instead of giving him first aid, the security men pounced on him and began to beat him and this infuriated the youths and they blocked the road and asked the governor to kill all of them.”
UPDATE: How They Plotted To Attack Okorocha’s Convoy
As the dust raised by the recent attack on the convoy of Gov. Owelle Rochas Okorocha at Awa community in Oguta local government area of Imo state is yet to settle, investigation has revealed that the attack seemingly hatched to humiliate and embarrass the governor ahead of the forth-coming rescheduled Oguta state assembly seat election is part of the strategies mapped out by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to discourage the governor from visiting Oguta before the conduct of the election.
Sources in PDP revealed that some chieftains of the party met and resorted to activate strategies aimed at whittling down the influence of Okorocha whose numerous projects in Oguta local council are building overwhelming support for the APGA candidate, Hon. Walter Uzonwanne to win the rescheduled Oguta state assembly election.
Recall that Okorocha was attacked last Saturday at Awa community while on an inspection of the ongoing 15 kilometer road project which cut across the community. The state government is also building over 20 pre-cast model schools, new general hospital, Oguta Blue Lake of Treasury and first ever Marine University in Oguta LGA.
The source further revealed that Sen. Hope Uzodinma, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya and ex-governor Ikedi Ohakim mandated the PDP candidate, Chief Eugene Dibiagwu to recruit some youths to confront Okorocha whenever sighted at Oguta for the usual road project inspection to rubbish the support his regular presences is building for the APGA candidate.
“The attack on the Gov. Okorocha’s convoy is part of our strategy to discourage him from this constant visit to Oguta. The chances of our candidate is threatened anytime he visits, and having discovered that the governor is using these projects to campaign for APGA candidate, our leaders came up with a strategy that will discourage him from further visit. We are not afraid because our leaders have the support of the presidency and even if they arrest any of those boys or Chief Eugene Dibiagwu who led the attack, nobody will sleep over in the police custody.
We will definitely prove to them that PDP owns this country” the source boasted.
The source added that the attack may not be unconnected with the recent meeting convened by Uzodinma in his Abuja residence with Ohakim, Ilomuanya and Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume in attendance shortly after their colossal disappointment at the last Supreme court outing. The agenda of the meeting, it was gathered, was to plan certain actions that upon implementation will destabilize the state and possibly create the needed atmosphere to actualize Okorocha’s removal as governor of Imo state.
Uzodinma was said to have boasted that for as long as Okorocha remains committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the presidency would continue to unleash its security agencies especially the ICPC and EFCC against his administration and its key functionaries.
According to our source, the senator further boasted that the presidency would soon carry out another round of arrest of some key government officials to cripple the state government as a way of paying Okorocha in his own coin for contributing eloquently in the re-election of Rivers state governor, Chibuike Amaechi as the chairman Nigerian Governors Forum.
Meanwhile, traditional rulers in the state have raised the alarm over threat to the life of Gov. Okorocha by some disgruntled Imo sons whom he said are uncomfortable with the performance and achievements of the governor within two years in office.
Addressing newsmen in his office at Owerri, the state capital, the chairman, Imo State Council of traditional rulers, HRM Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, described the attack on the governor by thugs led by Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu, the PDP candidate for the forthcoming Oguta state assembly election as condemnable and gross disrespect to the office of the governor of Imo state.
The monarch who maintained that Okorocha as a governor is at liberty to move freely to every part of the state having secured the mandate of Imo people to govern the state, warned that any harm inflicted on the governor would definitely set the state ablaze owing to the love Imo people have for him.
Source: Pointblank News
No comments:
Post a Comment