Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Spiritual Director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, has awarded a scholarship to the son of late Hon Justice Azuka, the slain lawmaker representing Onitsha 1 Constituency at the State House of Assembly.
The cleric made the announcement Thursday evening in Onitsha during a special Mass in honour of late Hon. Azuka at the lawmaker’s Onitsha residence.
Speaking during the Mass, Fr Obimma who consoled the family on their huge loss, pledged a scholarship for the first son of the late lawmaker, noting that the gesture will last up to the point of education abroad. “Today, I give a scholarship to the first son. I will give him free education till he travels outside the country to further his studies,” he said.
Addressing journalists, Fr. Obimma, also known as Ebube Muonso, slammed Governor Chukwuma Soludo for using media aids he described as “charlatans” to attack him instead of addressing the state’s pressing issues.
The cleric, who has been vocal about the state’s insecurity, accused Soludo of unleashing “media rats” to defame him, stating that the tactic is the governor’s worst mistake in the face of the recent happenings in the state.
He said the governor’s intention had been to use his media aides to parade lies and vilify him, noting that such an approach would only make him more vocal.
Fr Obimma described as false the recent statement of the Anambra State Police that the prime suspects involved in the killing of the lawmaker are still in custody, and not among the two that escaped.
“When Azuka was in oblivion, many people showed interest to know his whereabouts and even called on phone. Some who are experts in tracking such situations were also involved but eventually the corpse was discovered. But to my greatest chagrin, those who were apprehended, the prime suspects, were allowed to escape.
“I believe somebody is trying to cover something. That’s why they allowed them to escape from captivity. You can’t tell me that police officers with guns would allow someone with only a handcuff to escape. The story is simply funny. It was a clear sabotage. The killing was indeed political and I will continue to say it. I will continue to say that the governor, who is the chief security of the state, has to provide an answer.
“The claim of the Police Commissioner that the prime suspects are still in custody is false. Believe me, the incident happened two weeks earlier before my involvement. It was my statement that revealed everything and made the governor summon them. I thank God for the grace. It was when I spoke as usual that the governor released his barrage of media rats on me, fabricating lies upon lies, projecting stinking stories to tarnish the image of a man of God, but their efforts will be in vain.
“As you see Fr Ebube Muonso here, even in the camp of my enemies, I have friends. I have people everywhere and this makes me have privileged information about most of the things happening in the state,” he said.
Fr. Obimma, who also visited the traditional ruler of Onitsha, HRH Igwe Alfred Achebe, to commiserate with him on the loss, described Soludo’s administration as a “government of deceit that often parades lies.”
He said the death of the lawmaker would bring about a sanitisation of the state, putting an end to the reign of evil. He urged Anambra residents to stand strong and not run away from trouble, assuring them that he would always be on guard for them.
He also stated that he was never afraid of death, as he considered himself already dead since his ordination as a priest.
