By CHARLES IWUOHA

As the 2023 gubernatorial race of Enugu State and other elective positions hots up across the three senatorial zones of the state, thugs have allegedly attacked Oganiru Enugu for Ekweremadu group in Nsukka Local Government Area.

Speaking with journalists in Nsukka, Hon. Ernest Ogwo, Coordinator, Oganiru Enugu group and the immediate past administrator Nsukka South Development Centre, said that the group were having its monthly meeting when a group of people suspected to be thugs invaded and attacked the members.

He reported that many were wounded just as the hoodlums snatched mobile phones and destroyed property running into several thousands of naira for no clear reasons.

He said that the attack was unconnected to Oganiru Enugu support for the former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu for governor of Enugu State come 2023.

“On the 5th day of December, we were having our meeting at a popular joint in Nsukka known as ‘Meeting Point Joint’ Ogurugu Road, opposite Faith Foundation Hospital, Nsukka.

“The meeting had started smoothly at about 1pm when Hon Cosmas Ugwueze, Chairman Nsukka local government council led over 40 men with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons to the venue of the meeting and immediately ordered the men to attack us at the meeting. The men were shooting sporadically in the air without any provocation.

“They descended on everybody, beat us to pulp and destroyed seats, tables, canopy, drinks and other items provided for the meeting.

“They took away our public address system, snatched phones, I personally lost N50,000 to them,” he said.

Hon. Ogwo, who sustained bruises on the head, arms and other parts of his body as a result of the attack, noted that one of the attackers told him that he must stay away with any activity concerning Ekweremadu.

“I have reported the matter to the police in Nsukka, I even gave them names of some of the attackers I recognized, hoping that they would be arrested for prosecution over the barbaric attack on innocent people of Oganiru Enugu,” he said.

“The council chairman, Hon. Ugwueze Comas, was with the men dishing out instructions, ‘get him down!’, ‘get him down!’. I saw him clearly and he cannot deny it,” he said.

The coordinator explained that the only sin the group committed was its support for Ekweremadu’s governorship ambition in Enugu State in 2023, adding that the support for is in totality.

“The group is an advocate for good governance of which Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is our grand patron and Ike Ekweremadu, some members of National Assembly and many other stakeholders in the state are patrons. Governor Ugwuanyi is a peace loving man and I don’t know why Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Council and his thugs choose to attack me and my group,” he lamented.

“The Chairman once approached me to stay away from Ike Ekweremadu and I told him I have the right to support any candidate of my choice in as much as constitution didn’t allow our Governor Ugwuanyi for third term.

“If constitution allowed him I will support him but when otherwise, I will support any candidate of my choice and my choice is Prof Ike Ekweremadu.”

When contacted for comment over the alleged incident, the chairman, Nsukka Local Government Area, Cosmas Ugwueze, said that it’s unheard that he would belittle himself and position to acts of hooliganism in Nsukka.

“I have never heard of a place called “meeting Point” not to talk of visiting the popular joint along Ogurugu road in Nsukka urban town, The Police of Area Command Nsukka invited me over written petition on the alleged incident and I have to respond to the police invitation before making any public statement on the issues raised. I will address the media after discussing with the police,” he said.

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