Anambra stampede: Arrest Ngige now, says APGA Senator Chris Ngige The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh, on Sunday called for the arrest of Senator Chris Ngige over the stampede that led to the death of 25 people at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ground in Uke, Anambra State on Saturday. Umeh’s call came as Governor Peter Obi declared three days of mourning in honour of the people killed in the stampede. Umeh, while addressing the press in Awka, said that it was obvious that the pandemonium was planned and executed by people linked to Ngige, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the November 16 governorship election in the state. “The fact that people who infiltrated the arena carried brooms and his campaign posters and were chanting solidarity songs without any justification was an indication that he was behind it. “I am calling on the Nigeria Police to immediately arrest Dr. Chris Ngige. We have lost 25 innocent souls in this state. So, it’s not something we will just make comment on and leave to lie like that. An action must be taken. Dr. Chris Ngige, whose people were there to do this should be arrested, particularly as he has started blaming APGA for the tragedy. He must make a statement on this,” Umeh said. But the Chris Ngige Campaign Organisation has warned Obi and APGA to leave Ngige out of the tragedy. In a statement in Awka, the organisation said that while it was grieved at the sad incident, “it is not prepared to play needless politics with the lives of innocent Ndi Anambra.” In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity in Chris Ngige Campaign Organisation, Chief Charles Amilo, the organisation warned Obi that blaming Ngige each time there was a tragedy in the state would certainly not work now. “Senator Dr. Chris Ngige, neither attended the crusade, knew about it, nor received the report of the crusade in good time after the fact. “Rather than throw feeble punches around, there should be an independent investigation on the matter,” Amilo said. The governor in a broadcast to the people of Anambra State commiserated with the bereaved families and the Catholic Church over the Uke tragedy. He insisted that he was officially invited to the vigil, made a speech at about midnight and left at 3am, three hours before he said the stampede occurred. “I appeal to the good people of Anambra State to remain calm and prayerful as God, who has been with us all this while, will help us to overcome the present sad development so that we can continue the task of turning around our state,” he said.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 07:35:08 +0000
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