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By Madu Obi
The House of Representatives member for Orumba North and South federal constituency of Anambra State, Princess Chinwe Nnabuife has vowed not to chicken out of politics despite the gruesome murder of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, chairman for Nanka Ward 1 in her constituency, Nze Joe Ezenwegbu by unknown gunmen.
Some assailants wearing masks gunned down Ezenwegbu barely one hour after a meeting of YPP stakeholders in the area with the federal lawmaker elected on the platform of YPP in preparation for the Court of Appeal -ordered rerun election in 16 polling units in Nanka Ward 1 to determine the final winner between her and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo.
Nnabuife was declared winner of the February 25 national assembly election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and her victory is being challenged by the PDP candidate.
Reacting on the murder of her party chairman, Hon Nnabuife said: "Whether they like it or not, the rerun election must take place in Nanka Ward 1 as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
" I cannot be discouraged by this gruesome murder because this is what Joe Ezenwegbu died for and I know that wherever he is, he would not want me to chicken out."
"The people of Orumba North and South see me as the light at the end of the tunnel and I will not disappoint them. They gave me their mandate which has not been taken away from me and I am not going to disappoint them. I want to assure the people of Orumba North and South that I am not afraid."
"I have been going through this kind of experience since I came into politics. In 2018, it happened during the APGA primaries when thugs came to the venue and disrupted the exercise. In 2019, the INEC office at Ajalli was attacked and in 2023, not minding that I was able to overcome, this incident of killing my party chairman happened."
"The people of Nanka are presently living in fear and this incident may discourage them from coming out to vote during the rerun. This is why I want security to be beefed up in Nanka before the election so as to avert the reoccurrence of what had just happened."
"Security operatives should also thoroughly investigate the death of Joe Ezenwegbu and bring the culprits to book."
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, has warned against continued harassment of Princess Nnabuife in her constituency.
Ubah also commiserated with the family of Ezenwegbu, who was also the coordinator of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation in Nanka.
In a statement, Ubah said: "This is not the Anambra we know. This has shown the desperation of some political players in Anambra, and this is a dangerous trend that must be nipped in the bud as a matter of urgency by bringing the perpetrators to book."
"We condemn in strong terms this unfortunate incident, which, if not checked, will assume another dimension."
"It is uncalled for that anyone would threaten Hon. Chinwe Nnabuife, who is the YPP candidate for the rerun election in the federal constituency."
"The question is, who is afraid of Hon.Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, and why the desperate resort to threat and gruesome killing?"
"It's unfortunate that those thugs who called the late Chief Joseph Ezenwegbu a saboteur while carrying out the dastardly act, are the real saboteurs of the Nanka people's right to freedom of association, belief and the other basic tenets freely exercised in all democratic societies."
"This gruesome killing has indeed drawn us back to the dark days of thuggery and maiming that the state witnessed in the era of the PDP in Anambra State, spanning from 1999-2006, which must not be allowed to resurface."
"This unfortunate incident has indeed thrown Senator Dr Ifeanyi Ubah's supporters in the state into deep mourning, but we are not deterred as we will follow every legitimate means, to seek justice for Chief Ezenwegbu, our hero, who was murdered in active service."
"We call on all our supporters in Nanka to remain calm and rest assured that no stone will be left unturned in getting to the root of this dastardly act and bringing the perpetrators to justice."
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