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With about twenty-Three days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency stop the bloodbath in Imo state.
Addressing a world Press Conference in Abuja yesterday more than two weeks after the carnage in his country home that left four persons dead on the 14th of January, 2023, Ugochinyere vowed that he cannot be intimidated into silence, hoping that President Buhari will direct for arrest and prosecution those perpetuating evil in Imo state.
Ugochinyere who is the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP House of Representatives Candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency in this month’s election, said, ‘These sponsors of the Akokwa mayhem had wished that even though their killer agents missed me by the whiskers, that I would at least be too shocked and afraid to speak about the things I know, but I believe that the greatest weapon of the oppressor is fear; once they are able to frighten you but despite carnage our will has been made stronger.’
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‘We are stronger and our faith in God also stronger than ever before. We will be returning home to finish strong the people’s project of providing a strong voice and effective representation for our people.
‘We hope that the NSA, Mr. President in keeping to their promise should direct for arrest and prosecution of these vultures that have taken over Imo and stop the blood bath,’ he said.
Calling on President Buhari on the need for political solution to the plight of Kanu, Ugochinyere said, ‘I will appeal to Mr. President again on the need for political solution in resolution of the Nnamdi Kanu issue with his unconditional release to pave way for genuine reconciliation and peacebuilding in addressing all issues.
“The power resides with you Sir, the courts have ruled at different stages and you have the constitutional powers, ignore the advice of those who benefit from the unending blood bath and are hiding under it to unleash mayhem on our people in a bid to keep illegitimate power.
“They can never stand the sovereign will of the people. We must defend our mandate and do so with boldness so as to ensure the sanctity of our ballot because it is by so doing that we can end this orgy of violence and bloodletting.’
Speaking further on how to address the insecurity in the South East, the CUPP Spokesman who disclosed that political solution should be the way to go, said, “let me state once again, I believe that the political solution to the insecurity in the South East begins with the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
‘Relying on the judgments of Court from the Federal high Court in Umuahia and also the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, the government can release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and begin the healing process from there. It will lead to the identification of those who have genuine agitations and criminals who have taken advantage of the situation to wreak havoc on our people.
‘But those who are making billions from the business of insecurity thriving in Imo and South East today will not want to hear this. For this reason and to stop me from exposing their plans for the worst political heist in our land, Ikenga must die. But unfortunately they are not my creator.’
Narrating how the attack was carried out in his country home in Imo state, Ugochinyere said ‘on January 14th, we came under heavy terrorist attack led and coordinated by militias who from all evidence were state sponsored and state backed with the sole aim of killing me to permanently silence me from making any other exposures on the rigging plans against the 2023 general election.
‘We were shot at, we were bombed with high grade explosives, houses were leveled with bombs, those still standing were shaken to their foundations and vehicles numbering over 32 were all set ablaze with these explosives. Several motorcycles belonging to us and hardworking villagers were burnt amongst other property valued in billions that was lost in the attacks.
‘They attacked in broad daylight, firing from all angles and leaving over 500 bullet holes on the houses in my country home. Innocent people were killed for no reason.
‘January 14 is now very quickly assuming a dark day in the history of Imo State. On 14th January 2020 Imo State watched helplessly as a man whom they did not vote for was pronounced as Governor of the State, an illegitimacy that haunts us till this day. Since then, Imo has been turned into a killing field with tributaries of blood now flowing into the Atlantic Ocean.’
Speaking further Ugochinyere said: ‘We got intelligence that a convoy of assailants was looking for the way to my country home. I did not see the message when it arrived because I was discussing with my team. But upon seeing it, I rushed out to inform the security men on duty to reinforce and organize and while that was going on, I sighted the convoy but before our security men could react, they opened fire at me, I only narrowly escaped being hit by the special grace and mercy of God. With the security men, we now rushed into one of our houses and formed a defence that they continued to hit on. Thank God we survived.’
Stating that he was not attacked by IPOB, the CUPP Spokesman said, “let me make it categorically clear; I was not attacked by members of IPOB. I was attacked by a state sponsored militia that has semblance with the same team that attacked my convoy on the 23rd of December, 2022.
‘I say again, those who attacked my house did not speak in Igbo language but spoke like people from Rivers and Bayelsa just like the people who attacked my convoy on 23rd December, 2022. So we are not in doubt about the people who attacked us.
‘At least more than four persons who witnessed the first attack and heard the attackers speak also survived the second attack and also heard them speak. They could not have all been wrong.
