The Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, was on Saturday literally rescued from angry youths who were dissatisfied with his involvement in the bye-election process within the Anambra South Senatorial Bye-Election in Osumenyi, Nnewi South LGA.
The deputy governor was reportedly held hostage for above one hour, twenty minutes before news got to security operatives and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu came to his rescue.
The angry youths, reporters learnt, noted their shock and surprise that after years of neglect of the senatorial district by the incumbent Prof. Charles Soludo’s administration they came to woo voters on election day.
“Yet, despite the neglect, Deputy Governor Ibezim, working in harmony with the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Felix Odumegwu, were caught in the area to induce votes in favour of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Hence, we prevented that from happening.”
Youths from the community who are dissatisfied with the development actually blocked the deputy governor’s convoy.
“The governor’s assistants beat me up, in fact, rough handled me, snatched my phone and want to run away before the youths came to my aid,” a victim said.
The youths said the Deputy Governor’s presence in Osumenyi far away from his Awka hometown is an aberration.
The Deputy Governor in an interview with journalists said that the issue would be handled legally.
At one of the centers — Awo, Ezinifite voting center, more than one hundred members of the state vigilante and security operatives, aka, Udo-Ga-Achi prevented journalists, observers and election monitors from going into the venue.
They reportedly claimed that “our deputy governor is inside with the INEC officials”.
Even the arrival of the APC governorship flagbearer, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu who came in when the SOS alarm by citizens reached him, failed to broker peace.
The security operatives instantly cocked their guns, waving them menacingly at the capacity crowd who were there to cast their votes and protect same.
Everyone instantly took to their heels. It nearly turned to a free for all fight.
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