Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency, in the forthcoming 2023 National Assembly election in Imo State, Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has said youths in his community saved him from suspected assailants on Friday night till the early hours of Saturday.
Ugochinyere, who is also the spokesperson for all the opposition political parties in Nigeria, stated this in a statement signed by him and made available to THISDAY in Abuja Saturday.
He explained that various youths from Akokwa and across Ideato nation converged on his country home Friday night and kept vigil throughout the night when information about alleged plans to assassinate him went viral in the state.
Ugochinyere, who is the Public Relations Officer of the Coalition of United Political parties (CUPP), said tension enveloped his entire constituency following the attack on his convoy by a chieftain of a rival political party.
He said: “The youths started trooping into my home around 8:30pm following the attack and their numbers have continued to swell.
“While chanting solidarity songs for Ikenga and Ideato nation, the collective anger has been palpable.”
About 24 hours earlier, Ikenga had reiterated to Nigerians the threats by some powerful politicians to attack and eliminate him if he dares come into Imo State.
He said some gunmen almost made good their threat by leading no fewer than 15 heavily armed and hooded operatives who attacked his convoy.
He said: “They came in three Sienna vehicles, two tinted Hilux trucks, an Armoured Personnel Carrier and another vehicle with the sticker of a political party in the state.
“They forcibly stopped the convoy with the Armoured Personnel Carrier around the lonely Obiohia stretch of road, while the team of hooded operatives and thugs rushed at the vehicles in the convoy and ordered all the occupants to disembark.
“The convoy had been going to drop off some supporters of mine who had attended my reception and campaign at Akokwa when they were forced out of the road by the gunmen.
“They searched all the vehicles for me, threatening thunder and brimstone, but I was not in the vehicle.
“They made preparations to commandeer my SUV away, but decided against that after going back and forth to consult with another occupant in the tinted Hilux truck.
“In their frustration, they vandalized, burgled the vehicles and made away with all the valuable and campaign materials in the vehicle.
“One of them, a well known politician in the state, was spotted among them, recording on video with his phone the shamefully pathetic drama of desperation.
“At the moment, there is utter outrage in Ideato land as many stakeholders and kinsmen of Ugochinyere have described the action as a provocative resort to self help by the Imo State Government.
“So after all their efforts to use the judiciary to intimidate and suppress me failed, following the repeated threats in recorded phone calls, and the failed plots to frame me for trumped up offence, they can no longer afford to wait for the judiciary to jail me as they threatened.
“Now, armed militia were sent to Akokwa to make good their threat. We will not accept that. If for any reason there is any attack anywhere in this country on me, or any breach of public peace in Ideato, we already know who to be held fully responsible.”
