Political appointees and staff of government house, Owerri, were forced to run for their dear lives last Wednesday evening when a supposed agreement reached for holding of one million march campaign rally for Governor Rochas Okorocha failed.
The frustrated persons consisting mainly of youths drawn from different areas including outside the state were part of a planned procession in support of Okorocha. The botched event said to be arranged and packaged by star actress and ally of the governor, Nkeiru Sylvanus ended on a sour note.
Trumpeta reporter who monitored the whole scenario noted that the anticlimax of the event showed when youths suspected to be protesting over non-payment of appearance fee went berserk in government house by locking the gates and chasing away people around.
Our newspaper reporter gathered that the arrangement for the million march for the governor had been concluded and the mobilised persons, 17 per LGA in the state and beyond to be provided with logistics. However, trouble started when vehicles were not extended to some of the shortlisted persons while those who managed to make it to Owerri were left unattended to. From the Imo International Convention Centre, IICC, the group moved to the Dan Anyiam Stadium where they expected the governor to address them. After waiting for several hours at the stadium without traces of the governor, the group moved to Heroes’ Square in New Owerri for the Chief of Staff to the governor to address them.
However, both Okorocha and his appointees failed to address the group and this forced them to relocate to government house. Trouble broke out when nothing was made available as transport fare and the presence of the organisers especially Nkeiru not felt in the place. People scampered for safety to avoid being caught up in the crossfire.
At the climax of the imbroglio, rumour filted in that Chief Uche Nwosu had dropped the sum of N500, 000 but this was to open another can of worms as the youth who collected the money wanted to do away with it.
He was caught and was about to be lynched but for the intervention of security men. The young man was searched and N250, 000 recovered from him. On further threat, he mentioned the fellow who had the remaining part. It was also recovered and sanity prevailed.
An inside source told Trumpeta that the March failed because Nkeiru Slyvanus wanted to do it all alone to impress “Oga” without recourse to the Rochas campaign organization which duty would have been to provide logistics.
As at the time of this report, Nkeiru was still in hiding as the youth are still searching for her.
