By Joy Omagha Idam
Barring any last minute change, and but for the timely intervention of Amasiri Youths, the former Chairman AFIKPO North Local Government Council, Hon Ogbonnia Oko Enyim, a very Strong Contender and Amasiri’s Choice for the Afikpo North West Constituency in the State House Assembly Polls slated for Saturday March 18th 2023 would have been arrested for unknown frivolous reasons.
A credible source told Weekenders magazine on Thursday that a caucus meeting of the Ebonyi Chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC was held in Ebonyi where it was decided that a clampdown be carried out on some opposition elements to whittle down their influences ahead of Saturday’s polls.
The insider told Weekenders magazine that the APC is scared of fillers they are getting because the incumbent Hon Ikoro Kingsley Ogbonnia cannot Stand Hon Ogbonnia Oko Enyim (PDP), who is receiving wide acceptability and endorsement from all the major communities including his Home base Amasiri Ekuma Ubaghala.
The insider source who pleaded anonymity said, two separate attempts had been made to arrest the former Afikpo North Council Boss because of the popularity he is gaining following the disenchantment of people as they accused the incumbent of none performance and having done three terms already.
Ogbonnia Oko Enyim who is a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party was instrumental to APC’s failure in the Presidential elections and the one who will unseat their candidate Ikoro, hence the hurried need to arrest him.
In the election, PDP won the House of Representatives seat for Afikpo /South Zone returning the articulate Rt Hon Idu Igariwey back to the House. This did not go down well with the APC as they had made several attempts for Ogbonnia Oko Enyim to dump the PDP and join them but the young Active agile leader insisted on remaining with the PDP that made him this is the hall mark of true democracy as found in developed climes.
It is recalled that similar arrests were made by the Department of State Security few days to the presidential and parliamentary elections which a former Commissioner in the State and a staunch member of PDP was arrested and detained.
Following this aborted arrest , the whole of Amasiri met this morning,( ESSA, Ichies, Ukeogo, Ekpu, etc), including the angry Amasiri youths who just returned from the chanting of their normal ‘war’ song around Amasiri in protest of the failed abduction of Ogbonnia Oko Enyim by Anti Kidnapping Squad from Abakiliki and unanimously endorsed Ogbonnia Oko Enyim as Amasiri’s candidate.
In a telephone interview with Hon Chooks Oko the Special Assistant Media & Strategy to the Ebonyi State Governor he had this to say ” As soon as I heard it I put a call across to the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State who confirmed he ordered the arrest? “.
I asked him why the arrest is being made a few hours to the elections slated for March 18th 2023 and Hon Chooks Oko swore that ” The APC had nothing to do with the arrest but explained that the Police and security agents had been after Hon Ogbonnia Oko Enyim for reasons he did not disclose to me”.
Whichever angle this matter is being X-rayed from the ruling APC in Ebonyi state cannot claim ignorance of the arrest. The purpose is clear to rattle Ogbonnia Oko Enyim, who has an edge over their APC Candidate Ikoro Kingsley Ogbonnia for which they will go to any length to help win in the March 18th Elections.
Weekenders believes that power rests with the people and we call on the APC in Ebonyi to allow the people of Afikpo North West Constituency vote for who they want to represent them at the State House Assembly.