The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the arrest and investigation of Charles Wobodo, Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government in Rivers State, following an attack on the convoy of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
The incident occurred on Friday, March 6, along the Omuanwa route as Amaechi travelled to his hometown, Ubima, for party registration.
Addressing journalists, ADC State Chairman Leader Bari said the attackers were not members of any vigilante group but were “hoodlums.”
“We travelled through other communities and even saw some OSPAC members along the road, but they did not block the road. When we got to Omuanwa, the road was blocked by people he is now referring to as OSPAC members, but from what we saw they were hoodlums,” Bari said.
He added that security personnel escorting the former governor were fired upon first, prompting a response from the DSS, police, and Civil Defence.
“They began shooting and the security agencies had to repel them. The DSS, the police and the Civil Defence will have reports of what happened,” he said, adding that members of the convoy travelling behind the former governor were later attacked.
“Vehicles were destroyed, phones were stolen and money was taken from our people. If anyone is saying those people were OSPAC members, then it means they are defending criminals,” Bari said.
He urged security agencies to arrest and question Wobodo, calling on the Inspector General of Police, DSS, and other authorities to ensure the chairman provides details about the attack.
“We are calling on the Inspector General of Police, the DSS and other security agencies to arrest and investigate the chairman of Ikwerre Local Government. He claims to be the chief security officer of that local government and should have information about what happened,” Bari said.
ADC Ikwerre Local Government Chairman, Temple Chinedu, said party members had received threats before the incident.
“Early hours of the 6th of March, we already suspected something like that could happen because we had been threatened and warned that we would no longer hold any meeting in Ikwerre Local Government,” he said.
He claimed previous meetings were disrupted, leaving members injured and their property stolen.
Chinedu also alleged that the ADC secretariat in Ubima was set on fire in the early hours of March 6, hours before attacking Amaechi’s convoy.
“By around 2 a.m., we received a call that the office had already been set on fire. When people went there to verify, they saw that the building was already burning,” he said.
The ADC emphasized that both the attack on Amaechi’s convoy and earlier incidents targeting party members and facilities must be fully investigated.
The party called for Wobodo to be summoned and those responsible to be held accountable.
A day after the convoy attack, Wobodo denied involvement.
He claimed that the local vigilante group, OSPAC, was conducting routine checks and alleged that security operatives in Amaechi’s convoy fired at an OSPAC vehicle, causing damage and injuring a member.
He also said neither he nor his party was responsible for the fire at the ADC secretariat, alleging that it stemmed from internal disputes within the ADC in Ikwerre LGA.
KanyiDaily recalls that DSS recently arrested a man, Udeme Sunday Stephen, who is suspected of being involved in an attack on Peter Obi, and some ADC leaders in Edo State.
