From Destiny Ugorji
Ahead of the June 29th House of Assembly rerun election in Oguta State Constituency of Imo State, the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha last Saturday, clashed with the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Prince Eugene Dibiagwu.
Trouble started when the Governor’s convoy ran into the campaign train of Prince Dibiagwu in Awaoma village, in Awa Autonomous Community of Oguta Local Government Area.
According to an eye witness account, “Prince Dibiagwu’s convoy of about fifty vehicles was moving through Awa to Oguta town for the wedding ceremony of daughter of maverick politician, Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe after a campaign rally. The governor’s convoy was coming from the opposite direction. The motorcycle expert rider leading the governor’s convoy recklessly ran into another motorcycle driven by one of Dibiagwu’s supporters, Okemezie Ejike Christian. Following the accident, the motorcyclist fell, with his motorcycle falling on top of him. He sustained several degrees of injury. Upon that, armed security officials attached to the governor pounced on the victim, beating him to a pulp.”
According to the account, the mammoth crowd of Dibiagwu’s die-hard supporters were infuriated by the humiliation and inhuman treatment meted on the innocent cyclist and reacted in protest.
The drama is said to have lasted for about twenty minutes, with the crowd of about one thousand persons blocking the road, preventing the governor from crossing.
Sources say that it took the intervention of Prince Dibiagwu himself to quell the situation that was said to be deteriorating.
Adding his voice, another eye witness who spoke on the grounds of anonymity expressed surprise at what he described as overzealousness on the part of the governor’s security aides, even as he blamed the governor for not calling his men to order.
According to him, “the governor should have called his men to order. They had an Ambulance in their convoy. One had expected that they should have shown some remorse by offering their victim a First Aid treatment, instead of further humiliating maltreatment. The governor did not even come down from his car.”
Confirming the incident, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming Oguta State Constituency House of Assembly rerun election, Prince Eugene Dibiagwu described the incident as unfortunate.
He expressed concern over what he described as the desperation of the APGA-led government in the state to deny the people of effective representation at the state Assembly.
“The governor should be the father of all. There should be a level playing ground for all. The unending attempts to use state might and paraphernalia to pervade the wish of the people is an obvious show of the fact that they are not popular. They are not on ground and they cannot march us. Can you imagine that they are even threatening Traditional Rulers in the area with dethronement if APGA’s candidate fails in their communities? Okorocha is my governor and I respect him as one; but the wish of the people must prevail.”
Investigations revealed that people of Oguta State constituency are angry with the governor over his maltreatment of the PDP candidate and his desperation to ensure that the will of the people does not prevail.
Three days ago (last Friday), the governor is said to have sent all civil servants of Oguta origin in the state civil Service (from grade level 8 and above) on compulsory leave to return and ensure that the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Mr. Walter Ikechukwu Uzonwanne is delivered at the May 29 Polls.
In about four times in one month, Traditional Rulers in Oguta Local Government Area of the state were summoned for meetings, with ensuring victory for APGA in the rerun as sole agenda.
One of such meetings was held on the 31st of May, 2013 in the Palace of the Chairman of Oguta Local Government Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Highness Eze I.O. Asor, the Udi of Obudi Agwa Autonomous Community. The traditional Rulers were addressed by the Commissioner for Community Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Ugochi Nnanna Okoro and Imo state Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Highness Eze Samuel Ohiri.
Next in the series of the meetings was held on the 15th of June, 2013 in the office of the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, with a stern warning to the Traditional Rulers to ensure that APGA is delivered, threatening them with dethronement if the contrary happens. On Sunday, 16th June, 2013, the Monarchs were summoned to a meeting at the state Secretariat of the Traditional Rulers’ Council for the same purpose.
