Anambra guber poll: Our candidate is being intimidated -NNPP

Barely one month to the 2014 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has raised alarm over alleged intimidation of its gubernatorial candidate, Leonard Uchendu, whom it said is being pressurised to opt out of the race.
The party raised the alarm in Lagos at a press conference addressed by its National Chairman, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam alongside other top national executive members of the party.
According to Aniebonam, since the emergence of Uchendu, who is the President-General of Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government, Anambra State, there has been tremendous pressure on him to vacate the seat as he is considered a threat to the realisation of certain “candidates’ ambition  who are being sponsored by power that be.”
The NNPP Chairman said the purported letter requesting Uchendu to step aside as President-General of Uwuawule Town is a deliberate ploy by Governor Peter Obi-led All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to witch-hunt the NNPP candidate.
On September 18, 2013, a letter credited to Special Adviser to Governor Obi on Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Dr. G.N. Muotolu, had requested Uchendu to humbly step aside as the President-General of Umuawulu pending the conclusion of the investigations being carried out against him over the use of town’s vigilante outfit to molest, intimidate and harass people in his community.
“From every indication it is obvious that the popularity of our Candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election may be giving sleepless nights to some members of APGA because we are reliably informed that over 75 per cent of the President-Generals of the various towns in Anambra are working with him at the moment.
“It is also a fact that the present majority leader in the State House of Assembly who happens to come from the same town Umuawulu with our Candidate may be feeling threatened by the popularity of our candidate. It is now very clear that the idea of asking him to step aside as the President-General of Umuawulu is merely an intimidation with an intent to wear him down using government machinery and apparatus,” the NNPP National Chairman said.
Aniebonam also noted that the genesis of Uchendu’s problems started when he declared his intention to run for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“We believe that when people try to act out an evil script, they are usually blinded by all that is equitable and legal.  For the Special Adviser in charge of town union matters in Anambra State to act in such a brazen and disrespectful manner to the court of law is not only illegal but constitutes a contempt of the court,” Aniebonam said.
The NNPP boss, however, said that the party through his lawyer has counter-written Governor Obi, urging the State government to immediately withdraw the letter of suspension of Uchendu and “restore the Uwuawulu vigilante group who to all purposes and intent enjoyed the support of the members of the community they were so ably protecting.”

Sunday trust