Enugu APGA Reps Candidate Wants LGA Boss Arrested Over Electoral Violence, It’s Pure Blackmail Council Chairman

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, Politics Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015

FROM IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu – All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA candidate for Udenu/Igboeze North federal Constituency of Enugu state in the last general polls, Prince Emeka Mamah, has called on the police to arrest and prosecute incumbent chairman of Udenu Council Area of the state, Barr. Ameachi Nwodo for allegedly sponsoring political violence in the locality.

He regretted that despite the petition he forwarded to the state police command on the matter, including threat to his life and alleged shooting of an APGA supporter, by an aide to the council boss, nothing has been done since after the elections.

Addressing newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday, visibly worried Mamah, accused the council chief, of using tax payers money in engaging hoodlums that terrorized and maimed APGA supporters and its agents during the March 28th polls in Udenu.

According to him, even as the chief security officer of the locality, Nwodo, threw decorum into the wind and used his suspected political thugs to unleashed mayhem on APGA members, as well as caused breach of public peace during the elections.

Mamah, said it is shocking that APGA which petitioned the police on the alleged shooting of their members and attempted murder by suspected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the locality, are now being interrogated by the police in a revised order, a case of the suspect now the complaint.

He stated that “it is on record that APGA petitioned the police on the March 28 2015 alleged shooting of APGA supporter, James Odo, at Udenu by one Franklin Mamah, an aide to Udenu local government chairman, Amechi Nwodo, during the election and upon which Mamah, Emeka Ngwu and Emeka Odo, were arrested in connection to the crime, but were later set free by the police.

Mamah, said he is shocked that the police has turned around to extend invitation to him based on an alleged counter petition against him by the Udenu council boss, Amechi Nwodo, whom he insisted is an accomplice in the alleged shooting against the APGA supporter.

The APGA candidate accused the police in Enugu of frustrating efforts by the Force headquarters Abuja to investigate the matter, by turning around to set the suspects free.

“The election was so violent that my supporters were shot, machete used on some that ended up in hospital. The police arrested the PDP people that shot at us but because the Udenu chairman was involved, the police set them free through an arranged mobile court after remanding them in prison custody.

“Effort by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to transfer the case to Abuja was thwarted by the Enugu Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS men in Enugu who refused to hand over vital documents to the Abuja police while the matter is now turned against the complainant.

“Part of why they are doing this now is to make me have a bad case at the tribunal.”

When contacted for his reaction, the Udenu council Chairman, Amechi Nwodo dismissed all the allegation, saying it is grand plan by Mamah, and his party to blackmail him, adding that the APGA members are only trying to use it as a case at the election tribunal.