By Austin Ogwuda
A former Member of the Delta State House of Assembly (Aniocha South) and current Board Chairman, Delta Broadcasting Service DBS Asaba, Hon. (Sir) Austine Chikezie has justified the slapping episode that took place at his residence recently which went viral, saying, “I have to defend myself”.
He said that it was not true that the PDP Ward primaries held at his residence and rather was suspicious that a group of youths that stormed the compound that day might had come with ulterior motive as that very day was not fixed for the primaries.
Chikezie who spoke to Journalists at his Asaba residence today (Wednesday) gave a very long narration of what actually transpired.
His words:
“On Saturday 18th May 2024, I decided to visit my workers especially in the Oil Mill that is close to my house.
Then, have a small meeting with them and to receive visitors because that is what I do every Saturday, I go to the village get feelers from my people before I go back to the main town.
“I was sitting with my immediate eldest brother and the son when I heard a big bang on the gate. The vigilante man whom I employed there in my house as a security, was there.
He ran to tell me that somebody was dragging his gun with him. I then stood up and asked him to go inside.
“Before, I knew it, they pushed the gate open and came, it was an invasion. They were up to 20, shouting that they came for the party’s councilorship primaries.
“I told them that they are not doing party primaries in my house, the venue is the town hall and that even if we say we are doing it anywhere, you must be accredited. Are all of you accredited to be there that you are banging on me?
“Before, I knew it, they entered inside and started chatting war songs. So, at that stage I have to defend myself and shouted for people to come and it was my shout that drew the attention of every other person.
“I looked back before I could know what was happening, somebody has blocked my gate of my house with his car, one Brown … has used his car to block the gate of my house
“I have to inform the police at Nsukwa to come and rescue me and it was that noise that I made and that my defense that attracted peoples attention otherwise nobody knew what they were out to do.
“And I stand to say that they were not party stakeholders. If they were party stakeholders, let them tender especially that boy that had that confrontation with me, let him tender evidence that he is a party stakeholder or he was a party stakeholder.
“And even if he is a party stakeholder, my place was not the venue for the primaries. Why will he come into my house to embarrass me?
“When they pursue you enter house, where you go run go? You must defend yourself. So, that was what happened.
“We fixed the primary election to hold on the 19th, that was on a Sunday and it held.
I discussed with all the aspirants, I proposed Monday but they said no that the thing was closing on that Sunday that we should do it on Sunday. So, on Sunday, we did it at the town hall”, he narrated.
Recall that The Townhall had earlier reported about the slapping episode of a Youth leader identified as one Mr. Abaja, which Okezie in the final analysis didn’t deny slapping; rather justified it by saying “I have to defend myself”.
*Source: The Story