By victor mmadumere
Imo State capital, Owerri woke up to yet another supremacy fight last weekend when the former deputy governor, Dr (Mrs) Ada Okwuonu was alleged to have ordered the demolition of a property belonging to former Senator Ifeanyi Ararume at plot 16 Clark quarters works layout.
The four bedrooms self contain structure was reduced to rubbles by the bulldozers allegedly sent by the former deputy governor under the supervision of her aides and security operatives, as she claims ownership of the said plot of land. The occupants on the said property were taken and detained at the zone 9 police Headquarters Umuahia before Nze Chris Ekwueme property manager to Ararume went and, bailed them.
A man who refused to give his name but identified himself as the personal Assistant (PA) to the former deputy governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS) supervised the demolition. When some members of the press visited the site the alleged PA averred that the property rightly belongs to his boss Mrs Okwuonu, and maintained that the trespasser got what he bargained for.
However, Nze Chris Ekwueme spoke to the journalists before the alleged PA and his accomplice were arrested and taken to the Shell Camp Police station, Owerri. Nze Ekwueme told our reporter that, plot 16 rightful belongs to Sen Ararume who got the allocation in 2002 from the then state governor Chief Achike Udenwa with a fence permit, which the fencing was done and a security house built and rented to one Casmir. He also revealed that some parts of the plot were rented to some other people who constructed a make shift structures for their business ranging from mama put to Dog meat joint, he submitted that it was to keep trespasser out that they rented the spaces out.
Nze Ekwueme told reporters that the demolished structure was started this year and has reached 95% completion before the demolition. He wondered why the acclaimed owner whose paper read plot 19 did not seek redress in Owerri City Development Authority (OCDA) or the court than taking laws into her hand.
Also another aide of the deputy governor wondered why Senator Ararume should come into the case that is not his, he told reporters that the Ararume in question is not that of Senator from Isiebu Isiala Mbano.
