Awka—Wife of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano has reacted to the altercation between her and the wife of former Biafran warlord, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu.
According to a statement signed by her media aide, Chidiebele Obika, “Mrs Obiano has expressed shock over the attitude of Amb. Bianca Ojukwu who ostensibly was seen in a viral video when she “slapped” her, albiet unprovoked during the inauguration of Prof. Soludo as the 6th democratically elected Governor of the state on Thursday, March 17, 2022.”
In the statement, Osodieme recalled that all she did was approach the former beauty queen for their usual friendly banters only to be “slapped” and pushed by Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu.
“She wondered what could cause so much anger and hate that a former diplomat could not manage herself in public. Mrs. Obiano stated that she didn’t bother to slap her back, but rather walked away in utter bewilderment”, the statement concluded.
Recall that there was a show of shame and undesirable distraction at the Government House, Awka during the inauguration of Professor Charles Soludo as governor of Anambra State last Thursday as the wife of the former governor of the state, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano and wife of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu exchanged fisticuffs at the middle of the swearing ceremony.
Soludo and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim had just taken the oath of office and Soludo was still signing the papers before the chief judge of the state, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu when Obiano’s wife arrived and went to where Bianca Ojukwu was seated.
In what people around initially took as a joke, Mrs. Obiano said to Bianca: “What are you doing here? You said we will never win the governorship and here you are.”
Instantly, Bianca slapped her and a fight ensured between them at the high table.
Security men and other people at the high table rushed and separated them and dragged Mrs. Obiano to where her husband, Willie Obiano was seating calmly.
As soon as Soludo finished signing the documents and came down and greeted the Obianos, the former governor and his wife departed from the ceremony. Bianca Ojukwu, however, stayed till the end of the ceremony.
Although Governor Soludo expressed worry over the incident, he did not show it.
Soludo’s media aide, Mr. Joe Anatune, thereafter issued a statement and apologized on behalf of his boss about the incident.
He said: “Governor Chukwuma Soludo hereby apologises to Anambra people, their friends and guests who attended his inauguration this morning for the breach of protocol.
Shortly after ex-Governor Obiano and his wife departed the scene, he was arrested by men of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and taken to Abuja where he is currently being detained.
EFCC trying to strip Obiano of his dignity —James Eze
Meanwhile, Mr. James Eze, former chief press secretary to Chief Willie Obiano, has decried what he described as media trial and attempts by the EFCC to strip the immediate past Anambra governor of his dignity.
Pooh-poohing a video of Obiano in shorts in EFCC custody that went viral, Mr Eze said no guest of the anti-graft agency had been so treated.
His words: “It is unfortunate that a video showing the former governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, dressed in unflattering clothes while in EFCC custody was leaked on social media.
“It hints at a very sinister campaign that smacks of an appalling media trial that will not only strip the accused of his dignity but put him up as a felon even before his trial begins.
“EFCC has had many important guests in the past but none was treated in this embarrassing manner. The question many people are asking is why is former governor Obiano’s case different? Is humiliation of an accused person now a part of the Nigerian law?”
