By okey alozie
A near fisticuffs was almost recorded between two top political appointees in Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s government, as the Mayor of Owerri zone, Chief Gibson Achonwa Njemanze (Oyiga) and commissioner for industry and non formal sector, Lady Bar Ugbochi Nnanna Okoro at the Owerri West Council headquarters, Umuguma over a disagreement concerning the composition of the LGA’s list of transition committee members inaugurated on Tuesday
Trouble started when the TC Chairman Hon Dr Liz Ejiogu announced the names of the TC members to be sworn in before the people that graced the occasion.
Our reporter who was at the council headquarters revealed that the list was faulted by one Hon.Nze Njoku Ikejuba from Nekede ward 11 and this brought a big confusion at the venue of the swearing-in.
At this point the Mayor of Owerri, Chief Gibson Achonwa (Oyiya) who is also one of the leaders of Owerri West politics raised eyebrows and pointed accusing fingers on the woman commissioner who is also from the area.
According to Chief Achonwa, the names that were dropped from the original list were allegedly master minded by Ugochi Nnanna who he said joined APC last year
The Mayor regretted why such a woman should be at the centre of every problem in Owerri West adding that her actions have turned things upside down in the area.
Chief Achonwa threatened to quite APC if nobody calls Ugochi Nnanna to order against her unpopular actions in the area,
While the argument between the two top government appointees was going on Hon Eze Njoku whose name was dropped from the original list raised his voice again and the threatened to stop the swearing-in ceremony.
At this point a security man named Igirigi pushed him away and he later came back with a big stick. In an attempt to n make use of the weapon to fight, he was seized by security operatives at the venue who later gave him beating of his life and eventually took him to the nearest police station where he was detained.
Over 20 people who scampered for safety were injured when the trouble escalated and during this period the TC chairman according to our source was whisked away by the police while some traditional rulers and aged people managed to escape through the window in order to save their lives.
A particular pregnant woman was said to have received internal injury when people rushing out of the troubled spot fell on her and was later taken to hospital according to a family source.
When contacted, the TC chairman, Hon Dr Liz Ejiogu expressed shock on what happened but refused to make further comment on the matter.
She had earlier instructed the TC members to be of good behavior and work for the uplitment of the local government.
She further advised them to observe the principle of collective responsibility by speaking in one voice as well as be compliant to the efforts of the state Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha in bringing development in their various wards.
10 members from the political wards in Owerri West were finally sworn in by the TC chairman.
Meanwhile the Governor have been informed the disagreement and trouble that took place in Owerri West during last Tuesday’s swearing in at Owerri West Council headquarters, Umuguma.
The Governor who fumed after receiving the report regretted why people of the same party should attack each other because of TC membership list.
He advised the stakeholders of the area to go back home and resolve the matter before it escalate to another thing.
All effort made to contact the woman commissioner to hear her own side of the story proved abortive as at the time of filing this story.
