The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the upcoming November 6 election, Senator Andy Uba, escaped death by a whisker after an accidental discharge by a policeman missed him by a hair’s breadth.
Uba was addressing a rally at the Ekwulobia Township Stadium in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state on Friday when the incident happened.
The gunshot which was just about a foot off the position of Uba shocked the crowd who turned out to receive the governorship candidate.
A stunned Uba was heard saying in confusion: “My friend what is it? What is it?”
A television cameraman who was close to the cop told our correspondent that he suspected the policeman was drunk.
Another bystander, said “I guess it was an accidental discharge. There was no threat whatsoever to warrant that shot. We thank God for his protection, this could have been a disaster.”
It was gathered that a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police who was at the occasion had taken up the matter to ensure proper disciplinary measures were given the erring cop.
When contacted on the telephone, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Owolabi, told our correspondent that he was awaiting an official report on the matter.
Meanwhile, Uba who continued with the rally despite the incident, told his supporters that he was in the governorship race to liberate the state from the shackles of underdevelopment.
He said, “My first assignment is Enugu-Onitsha road. It is impassable. Work will begin on this road soonest. That is the essence of our party being at the centre.”
Meanwhile, the six members of the Anambra State House of Assembly who dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance for APC have denied that they were bribed to defect.
APGA had alleged that the lawmakers and others were bribed to the tune N300m to join the APC.
But speaking at the reception rally for Uba, the legislators said they left APGA because the party was in a political coma.
Addressing the crowd that trooped our to receive them, the lawmakers, who took turns to speak, said their former party, APGA was dying, and there was need to leave for a better place.
They also said they joined the APC to work with Uba, to “hook Anambra State to the national grid” so that the state would be weaned from the regional and domestic politics it had been subjected for over 15 years of APGA reign in the state.
The member representing Dunukofia state constituency, Ezeudu Lawrence, said, “We are in APC because of Andy Uba. He is a man of impeccable character and a go-getter. We decided to follow the man who knows the way, who will connect us to power at the centre, so as to benefit from what they intend to give to Anambra.”
Also speaking, the member representing Aguata 1 state constituency, Carter Dike, said, “The cock (APGA symbol) is dead. The leaders of the party have killed the cock and the party is in a coma.”
The six members had last week joined APC in Abuja. Apart from Lawrence and Dike, others are Nonso Okafor, representing Nnewi North; Timothy Ifedioramma, representing Njikoka 1; Cater D. N. Umeoduagu, representing Aguata 1; Arthur Chiekwu, representing Idemili North and Edward Ibuzo, representing Onisha North.
