The people of Anambra Central Senatorial District have condemned the show of shame exhibited by supporters of Senator Uche Ekwunife, candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and her rival, Honourable Dozie Nwankwo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), fighting publicly at the Enugwu Ukwu Igu Aro festival ceremony in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
According to an eyewitness The recent altercation between supporters of 2023 Senatorial Candidate of APGA, Hon. Dozie Nwankwo and the Candidate of PDP for Anambra Central Senatorial District, Sen. Uche Ekwunife, started when Dozie Nwankwo came earlier and waited to enter the arena for Igu Aro, while waiting, the organizers announced that no politician will be allowed into the main arena with political flags.
Dozie Nwankwo and his supporters agreed and waited patiently for them to be recognized.
While they were waiting, Uche Ekwunife and her supporters enter the main gate and matched to the arena with numerous PDP flags and umbrellas, they were probably oblivious of the standing order by the organisers who earlier warned that politicians will not be allowed to enter the arena with party flags.
In a quick reaction, Dozie Nwankwo supporters seeing that Uche Ekwunife and her people had gained entrance rose in anger and matched forward to the arena which made everything chaotic, the atmosphere was charged, which sparked up aggression that led to violence and open fight.
Speaking to our correspondent, elders of the zone said that, “singular act had disqualified Ekwunife and Dozie Nwankwo from representing the zone, describing the act as alu (sacrilege).”
Leader of the elders, Okeke Nwoye-Kwalu said, “From day one, we said these nouveau riche persons, especially Ekwunife will no longer represent the district.
”Ekwunife has become so proud and arrogant these days. See how she is insulting our leader, Peter Obi. She can’t smell the senate again. For Dozie Nwankwo, he is an eaglet to be our senator. He should go and wait and mature. Senate is not for boys.
“We have decided that Chief Victor Umeh (Ohamadike Ndigbo) will be the next senator for Anambra Central. He is mature, experienced and fearless. Besides, he has shown demonstrable commitment in the Peter Obi presidential project.
“So, Umeh is the next senator for Anambra Central. Ekwunife, particularly should go and sit down; enough of her insults and arrogance. How can she be insulting Peter Obi that the whole Nigeria has respect for?
Although our reporters that later came could not independently ascertain if any life was lost, many persons were said to have injured in the process.
Chief Chika Nwana, Chairman Umuagwu village Enugwu-Ukwu, who also spoke with journalists about the fight between Uche Ekwunife and Dozie Nwankwo’s supporters, said no one ever expected that such would happen. Nwana noted that even though it is the season of political activities, that politicians should endeavour to accommodate themselves and avoid shedding blood.
Chief Nwana said someone sustained a very serious injury from the fight that erupted between supporters of both candidates. He said the young man’s head was broken in the course of the fracas.
He however advised politicians to tolerate one another as only one person will emerge winner in every contest.
On his part, the traditional ruler of Enugwu-Ukwu, His Royal Highness Igwe Ralph Obumneme Ekpe, said such was unbecoming of Sen. Uche Ekwunife while expressing his reservations and resentments over the display of political rascality at his 2023 Igu-Aro cultural festival.
Igwe Ekpe also deployed the Igu-Aro Enugwu-Ukwu cultural festival to campaign vigorously for Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour party. He said all should obtain their Permanent Voter Card and ensure that they cast their votes for Peter Obi irrespective of their political affiliations.
