They want to kill me, lawmaker petitions Obasanjo

The Punch
Tajudeen Suleiman, Enugu

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

A member of the House of Representative from Anambra State whose country home was attacked by suspected assassins on January 7, 2005, Harry Oranezi, has alleged that Governor Chris Ngige wants to kill him because of his insistence that he (Ngige) should respect the terms of agreement with Chief Chris Uba.

Oranezi, who described Uba as “our political leader” said his position on the Anambra crisis had been that it was instigated by Ngige’s refusal to “honour an agreement reached” between him and Uba, and to which every important Peoples’ Democratic Party member in the state was a witness.

Oranezi’s allegations were contained in a petition to President Olusegun Obas-anjo, copied to the Director General, State Security Service, National Security Adviser, and the chairman, Police Service Commission.

In the petition entitled: “Plans to kill me by Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chris N. Ngige,” Oranezi alleged that the plan to eliminate him was leaked to him by a member of the “Bakassi Boys” who were detailed to do the assignment.

The petition dated December 8, 2004, also alleged that a former commissioner in the previous administration currently challenging his seat at the election petition tribunal was being used to “package this plan since he wants to get rid of me quickly so as to occupy my seat at the National Assembly.”

Part of the petition read: “Your Excellency, I am using this medium to appeal to you to please intervene on my behalf before they carry out their dastardly act by calling Dr Chris Ngige to order.”

“My only offence is my insistence on his going back to an agreement he signed with our political leader. This is a pure case of honour and dignity. When the leadership of a state is wallowing in dishonestly, what do you expect from the state?”

Oranezi’s residence at Obinugwu, near Nnewi, Anambra state was attacked by suspected assassins who came looking for him, a day after he left for Abuja.

One of his orderlies who were in the house when the attackers struck, Patrick Anugba, a constable, was killed by the assailants.

Oranezi represents Nnewi north and south federal constituency. END