Okorocha, Nwosu crucifying truth for propaganda – Uzodinma SSA, Nwamkpa

By Christiana Ekpa

A Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor of Imo State on Print Media, Nwamkpa Modestus, has condemned the accusation linking Governor Hope Uzodinma to the invasion of Saint Peter’s Anglican Church Eziama, in Nkwerre Local Government Area of the State by armed men on Sunday.

This is as the 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Imo State, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, had maintained that the Imo Governor masterminded his arrest by men of the Nigeria police.

He said that he was stripped half-naked, handcuffed on the orders of the State governor.

Nwosu, who is also the son-in-law of a former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, now Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District, while briefing journalists on Tuesday in Owerri, the state capital, advised Uzodinma to eschew bitterness and concentrate on governance than politics.

Recall that security operatives swooped on Nwosu, a son-in-law to former Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha, inside St Peter’s Anglican Church, Umunwokwe Village, Eziama-Obaire Nkwerre LGA of Imo State, during the outing service of his mother’s burial and whisked him away amidst sporadic shooting on Sunday.

It was initially thought that the politician was kidnapped by armed men. But the Imo Police Command Public Relations Officer, Michael Abattam, had countered the rumours and confirmed that Nwosu was only arrested.

However, while reacting in a statement on Wednesday, Nwankpa said the accusation of Governor Uzodinma masterminding the arrest of Uche Nwosu was nonsensical, diversionary and cannot fly in the face of objectivity.

According to him, “Nigeria police is an institution and they take responsibility for their actions. After all, the two scenarios between the ones that happened at Owerri North and Nkwerre Local Government Areas are completely not the same. The one that happened at Alex Mbata mother’s burial had a direct link to Okorocha because his direct aides perpetrated that one and he never condemned it, while the one at Eziama Obire was done by the Nigerian Police Force, for which they have owned it up.

“I want to say that Governor Uzodinma is not involved in the arrest of Uche Nwosu. Let us face the reality and stop massaging falsehood. Let us also not crucify truth on the altar of propaganda. Enough of this nonsense blackmail”.

“These futile efforts at dragging the state governor’s name into what the world has seen to be purely Police action is just an attempt to obliterate whatever was the reason that the police had for carrying out the arrest. Although, the police is yet to fully state why they carried out the arrest which I feel may not be unconnected to the insecurity issues witnessed recently in the state which Governor Uzodimma has fought hands down and also which he has persistently insisted that it was sponsored.

“I think the idea of trying to play up the angle of desecrating the Church in the arrest, leaving other surrounding issues that border on security of lives and property in the state that belong to you and I is what I consider to be diversionary and too hasty. The government has come out openly to wash its hands off the arrest and also said that it would not support the desecration of the church by any guise and for me, that is commendable.

“I recall something in 2017 at the burial of the Mother of Alex Mbata in Owerri North, the real desecration of the Altar of God happaned under Okorocha’s government. That one, a revered Man of God Arch Bishop AJV Obinna was openly assaulted in the Church. That one was carried out by Aides of the then Governor Rochas Okorocha and it also happeaned while they were present in Church. Again, this is not, in any way to support what the Police did at Eziama Obire, especially as what happened was avoidable. I only reminded everybody of this because he who must go to equity, must approach it with a clean hands”.