THE Police have quizzed
the Chairman of the Delta State Local Government Commission, Mrs. Nkem Okwuofu
over the recent cannon blast which allegedly targeted the Speaker of the House
of Assembly, Chief Victor Ochei.
Okwuofu, a
native of Obomkpa, was detained at the State Police headquarters in Asaba for
several hours Wednesday and later granted bail on self-recognition after the
police obtained her statement over her alleged role in the blast.
On a
routine familiarisation and thank-you tour of his home constituency of Aniocha
North last Friday, Ochei who had just arrived the venue of the ceremony was
busy pumping hands with some political faithful at the Eke Market Square, when
a loud explosion and its attendant smoke from behind threw the crowd into pandemonium.
The
cannon, which reportedly flew towards the direction of the Speaker’s seat on
the front row, was however, blocked by the rows of chairs.
Okwuofu, a
former commissioner of Culture and Tourism told reporters yesterday after she
was released that she was not at the venue of the rally where the blast took
place and so couldn’t have a hand in the blast which severely injured one
person.
She said: “I was
not at the venue of the blast. I only heard that it was a cannon blast. I was
invited by the police who accused me of attempted murder. The violence being
perpetrated by Boko Haram has not reached Obomkpa and I pray it will not get
there.”
She said
that her problem with Ochei had to do with her perceived support for Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa in the 2015 governorship election, a position which runs contrary
to the ambition of Ochei who is also warming up to join the race.
She
vehemently denied supporting Okowa, insisting that both the Senator and the
Speaker are his political children and that it was even premature to start
campaign considering the fact that 2015 was still some years away.
Source: Guardian
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