- Ask PDP To Withdraw His Chairmanship Candidacy Ahead Of LG Poll
- Threaten To Hold Back Support For Party
From Ameachi Prosper (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
Aggrieved protesting women numbering over 200 from Aniocha South LGA, of Delta State have organized a protest to demand arrest and prosecution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate in the upcoming March 6, 2021 council election, Jude Chukwunwike Ugbah for allegedly assaulting a 68-year-old woman.
Ugbah is the Special Assistant to Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. The women asked the Governor to sack him forthwith from his administration for his alleged violent action and misconduct.
They also sought an immediate withdrawal of Ugbah’s candidacy by the PDP from the forthcoming LGA polls in Delta.
The women, who besieged the Government House entrance, Asaba in a peaceful protest, accused Chukwunwike, of allegedly assaulting a 68-year old grandmother from Ubulu-Uku, one Mrs. Patricia Odiaka.
The protesters under the aegis of Concerned Women of Aniocha South LGA, displayed placards with diverse inscriptions, expressing their grievances.
In their protest letter addressed to Governor Okowa, the visibly inflamed women called for the arrest and prosecution of the PDP council chairmanship candidate.
According to them, the assault on the elderly woman, Mrs. Odiaka came in flurry of slaps and blows coming from Jude Chukwunwike Ugbah and his thugs, causing her to collapse on the floor, before she was immediately rushed to the hospital in Agbor where she was revived.
The protest letter read in part: “Your Excellency, our findings revealed that Chukwunwike is a bully and cannot be entrusted with the position of local government council chairman, as such position will further empower him to visit violence on women”.
Furthermore, the protesting women also demanded sanctions against the Director General of Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Mrs. Amaechi Mrakpor, for aiding his sibling, Ugbah in the onslaught.
Though there are conflicting accounts as to how the assault on Mrs. Odiaka was carried out, The New Diplomat had reported that Mrakpor, was in company of her younger brother, Ugbah and her aides who reportedly besieged the residence of the victim on boxing day in search of the woman’s grandson, one Nnamdi Odiaka.
Nmandi was alleged to have made posts on one of the social media against Mrakpor, also a politician, leading to her being on Nnamdi’s trail and the unfortunate incident.
Meanwhile, the incident has further raised grave concerns for the PDP, already embroiled in party’s internal crisis in the state as the women threatened to withdraw their support for the party, should Governor Okowa fail to facilitate justice in the matter.
“We wish to add that Aniocha South women have continuously supported and voted PDP in all elections since 1999, but we will not hesitate to withdraw our support for PDP if this matter is swept under the carpet.
“We demand justice not just for Mrs. Patricia Odiaka, but the entire Aniocha South women as injury to one is injury to all,” the letter added.
Meanwhile, a US-based public affairs critic and social media commentator, Mr. O’Manuel Akamisike has called on Governor Okowa to save his face and apply same treatment to Hon. Mrakpor and her junior brother Jude, like he meted out on a similar offender, Chief Friday Eluro, also a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor.
