ANAMBRA: APC Warns Deputy Gov Ibezim Against Thuggery as APGA Berates Lawmaker Over Alleged Misconduct

By Okey Maduforo

The Anambra South Senatorial District of All Progressives Congress, APC, has vowed not to allow a repeat of what it called charade that allegedly occured in the last by election in the area .

This is as the incident at the New Yam Festival of the Traditional Ruler of Omor Community in Ayamelum local government area where the lawmaker representing the area, Hon Bernard Udemezue, had squabbles with security operatives has come under sustained criticism from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

In another development, there is Panic In Anambra Border Towns Over Demands For Dissolution of Agunechemba Security Squad 

On the gear up to the November 8 2025 governorship election in the state, he APC has boasted that it is battle ready to resist the use of thugs and security vigilante groups by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to manipulate the gubernatorial election in the area.

The party while condemning what it calls the unbecoming affront of the Anambra state Deputy Governor Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim to manipulate the just concluded by-election in the area following his alleged use of the Agunechemba Security Squad to intimidate and arm twist the innocent electorates in the area warned him and government officials to stay clear from the zone and urged the Police and other sister organizations to be mindful of the antics of the ruling APGA.

According to the State Vice Chairman of the APC Anambra South , Mr Izuchukwu Okeke, who spoke to reporters in Awka; "What played out at Osumenyi is a display of ignorance and thuggery on the part of the Deputy Governor and it also shows the intentions of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA to muscle the entire Anambra electorates into voting for a candidate that is not their choice" 

"It has become clear that APGA has perfected plans to rig the November 8th gubernatorial election in the state under the very noses of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the security personnel." 

Okeke insisted that the duo of the Electoral Commission and Security operatives should be mindful of the great implications of allowing, aiding and abetting a looming charade come November this year .

"We the leadership and members of APC are watching how the Independent National Electoral Commission and Security operatives would watch helplessly as thugs belonging to APGA would on the day of the governorship election force law abiding Anambra people to vote against their conscience at gun point " he said.

Okeke however urged members of the party and people of Anambra South Senatorial District to remain calm and law abiding while retaining confidence and loyal to the party and it's gubernatorial candidate Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu reiterating that the outcome of the by election do not mean that APC would not emerge victorious in the November 8th gubernatorial election.

"We all know what happened in that by election and the gestapo manner APGA highjacked the electoral process claiming that it was free and fair. That doesn't have any effect on the coming election in November this year as the party is determined to retire the Soludo led APGA from politics and governance," he said.

APGA Berates Lawmaker Over Alleged Misconduct During New Yam Festival 

The incident at the New Yam Festival of the Traditional Ruler of Omor Community in Ayamelum local government area where the lawmaker representing the area Hon Bernard Udemezue had squabbles with security operatives has come under sustained criticism from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The lawmaker Udemezue, who it was alleged to have dismissed the 8th state Assembly for being rubber stamp under the dictates of Gov Charles Soludo was prevented from breaking protocol since the governor was already sitting at the festival which caused a steer at the occasion.

According to the Coordinator of APGA Media Warriors, Evangelist Chinedu Obigwe, the actions of Udemezue are unbecoming of a lawmaker, adding that his affront is an indication that he is not fit to be a Lawmaker.

"It is now obvious that Bernard Udemezue lunacy is incurable, because he ended up embarrassing the Traditional Ruler of Omor with his conduct at the monarch's palace. Funny enough, the traditional ruler was instrumental to his emergence as Ayamelum lawmaker.

"The truth is that Bernard Udemezue is unfit to represent the good people of Ayamelum in the State House of Assembly and he knows this very well hence his reason for running away from House of Assembly sittings.

"From the revelation made by the leadership of the 8th Assembly, Bernard Udemezue has only moved two motions from 2023 to date and he was absent from plenary 43 times out of 57 sittings.

"He is using the cock and bull story he is telling on social media to cover up his failure as the representative of Ayamelum people. The electorates of Ayamelum now know that the worst mistake they made in 2023 was voting for Bernard Udemezue to represent them at the State House of Assembly."

Obigwe further noted that no amount of campaign of calumny can stop Gov Charles Soludo from being reelected into office.

"As for the forthcoming November 8th governorship election, Governor Soludo will clinch a landslide victory in Ayamelum and the remaining 20 local governments at large," he said.

Panic In Anambra Border Towns Over Demands For Dissolution of Agunechemba Security Squad 

In another development, there is growing panic along the border communities in Anambra state over the demand for the dissolution of Agunechemba Security Squad.

The communities include Umunze, Ogbunka Owerezukala, Ufuma and Ezira as well as Ogboji and Ajali towns in Anambra South Senatorial District.

In Anambra North Senatorial District, Atani, Ochuche Umuzu Osamala Ogwuikpele Ogwuanocha towns are already panicking expressing fears that gunmen would capitalize on the demand for the dissolution of Agunechemba Security Squad to launch fresh assaults on the villagers .

Though the Agunechemba Security Squad is still operating most security flash points in those areas, are fast becoming empty as the villagers that had returned home due to the taking over of the areas by the security outfit have started fleeing their homes for safety.

Some villagers who spoke to Daily Insider in Anambra South Senatorial District lamented that they now leave in fear as markets and shops in the area have all closed.

Mr Linus Okoli from Ogbunka town said, "We are already enjoying relative peace in those places due to what Agunechemba has done so far and suddenly people are saying they should stop them from operating."

Madam Chika Nwankwo, a food vendor at Ufuma said that most places she goes to sell her food have stopped work on the building site because the contractors have been receiving threats through phone calls from suspected gunmen.

At Ogwuanocha in Ogbaru local government area, the gunmen were said to have returned and that three persons have already been kidnapped by them .

"Go there now and see for yourself if you have the courage. They have been boasting that they own the place and that the Agunechemba Security Squad would soon be a thing of history," a bus drive said .

At the Administrative office of Agunechemba in the old Government House Awka, no one offered to speak on this development and at the Lion House, Agu Awka, the operatives declined comments saying that it doesn't fall within their office to talk to reporters.

However, one of the operatives, who preferred anonymous, said that they have not stopped operations in Anambra state, adding that while the profiling of staff is going on, the outfit is still operating and urged residents at the border towns not to panic .