PRESS RELEASE
RETRACTION OF A FALSE PUBLICATION AGAINST HON. UCHE IBIAM EKWE BY A FACELESS GROUP; AFIKPO NORTH APC WISE ELDERS COUNCIL
On the 5th of March, 2022, a faceless group, known as ‘Afikpo North APC Wise Elders Council’ issued a press release emanating from an Open letter titled: “DON’T HAND OVER AFIKPO NORTH SEAT TO A SERIAL KILLER” and supposedly signed by Chief Gabriel Oko Egwu Etu, Esaa Aja Ekoh Eluu and Elder Anthony Isu Egwu who are nonexistent fictitious names, in lue of the forthcoming 2022 local government elections in the state.
I , Chief Okpani Ndukwe hereby wish to use this medium to refute and retract the malicious publication which was my brainchild. I wish to also state that all allegations and issues raised in the publication were regrettably politically motivated. That I Chief Okpani Ndukwe sponsored Mr Charles Otu, who is a journalist to write and release the false publication.
Every aspect of the publication sponsored by me are all lies aimed at scuttling the chances of Hon Uche Ibiam Ekwe from being the next Council Chairman.
After diligent security investigation which led to my invitation by the Nigerian Police Force where I voluntarily owned up to being the sponsor and originator of the malicious publication and also noting the damages and disharmony the publication caused not only to Hon. Uche Ibiam Ekwe but the entire Unwana Community and Afikpo North Local Government Area in general, I wish to further state that;
Among other things Hon Uche Ibiam Ekwe is a distinguished son of Unwana and that in all my dealings with him politically through the years I have always found him examplary.
Accordingly, I wish to retract the said publication and all the issues and allegations raised therein.
Among other things, I wish to state very clearly that Hon. Uche Ibiam Ekwe is not a serial killer as he was portrayed in the publication.
I wish to also state that the content of the publication was politically motivated; aimed at scuttling his chances of emerging the next Chairman of the council.
I also wish to state that there is no crisis in APC in any part of Afikpo North Local Government Area as alleged in the false publication and that we appreciate the performing Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr David Nweze Umahi and the leadership of our party for zoning the Chairmanship of the Council to Unwana Community in the spirit of equity, justice and fairness.
With every sense of remorse, I hereby withdraw all the unwarranted and baseless malicious allegations and issues raised against Hon. Uche Ibiam Ekwe and other stakeholders of our great party , emanating from the false publication which was purportedly issued by ” Afikpo North APC Wise Elders Caucus’ which is a nonexistent group and also my creation, whose publication was also signed with fictitious names and was virally published in some online and a few mainstream print media titled*”Don’t handover Afikpo North to a serial killer’;* knowing all the allegations to be false in its entirety.
Therefore, I urge Ebonyi State Government, the leadership of our party (APC), Afikpo and Unwana Elders and Stakeholders and members of the public to please disregard the publication in its entirety as they are nothing but politically motivated lies, falsehood fabrications aimed at misleading the public, and in particular the Government and good people of Ebonyi State.
I hereby tender an unreserved apology to Hon Uche Ibiam Ekwe for all the damages caused him by my ignoble act and pray that he be blessed wherever the publication has been or intended to be a hinderance.
Signed:
Chief Okpani Ndukwe.
