Candidate of Young Progressives Party, YPP, in the governorship election in Anambra State, Sir Paul Chukwuma, has debunked allegations that he led his men to brutalize the Commissioner for Youths in the state, Patrick Aghamba, in Onitsha last week.
The incident which was captured in a video happened in Onitsha last week, during an altercation between members of a government taskforce and traders over enforcement.
The incident led to the death of a pregnant woman while four persons were injured.
Aides of the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, had accused Chukwuma of being behind the incident, but the candidate who spoke with journalists on Tuesday said the reports were fabricated.
He said: “What happened in Onitsha was very disheartening. I was on my way to a campaign ground when I heard that there was a shooting incident involving some untrained personnel who were handed arms by the Anambra State Government.
“I stopped and went to calm the situation at the market and after that I heard that those who were injured were taken to the general hospital, but when I got there, and saw what was going on, there was a certain young man who needed to be moved out of the hospital for proper treatment, and the hospital had brought ambulance, but someone came and blocked the gate of the hospital.
“For people who say I’m a meddlesome interloper in the matter, I ask, who else should be more concerned than me, the next governor of Anambra State? I should be more concerned because I’m from Anambra, I was also concerned because I know that as the next governor of Anambra State I should be concerned about the welfare of my people. That was why I went to assess things and calm the people at the market. We went to tell them not to take laws into their hands.
“I’m pleased that after speaking to the traders, we were able to calm them and normalcy returned to the market before we went to the hospital.
“We blame govt for arming untrained militia and expect that people will not be killed. This speaks volumes of the impunity we are experiencing in Anambra State and also of the mindset of the Anambra State government.
“What caused the problem was that while we had paid for the victims and about to move one of them to another hospital where he was referred for better treatment, a man drove in and blocked the gate with his car and insisted no one was permitted to move out.
“It was the family members of the victims who were happy that we came to their rescue to take their brother away from treatment that started fighting him. I only came in and intervened and stopped the mob from beating him up and also persuaded him to remove his vehicle. That is the story. They should be grateful to me for rescuing the commissioner and not fabricating stories against me.”
