By Deborah Hassan
365Daily– A video allegedly showing security personnel attached to the convoy of Sen. Andy Uba, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming Anambra State elections, manhandling a motorist is misleading and targeted at tarnishing his image.
This is according to Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, Director of Media and Publicity,
Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation (SAUGCO), in a statement issued in Tuesday, September 28, 2021.
Ogene said a close look at the video showed that while none of the cars in the video belonged to Sen. Uba, he was also not anywhere near the vicinity of the incident.
The Uba Campaign Organisation Media Director added that Senator Uba was at Hollywood Events Centre, Agu Awka, at the same time the incident was happening, “where he received defecting local government and ward chairmen of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA – including the Chairman of Governor Willie Obiano’s home ward in Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government Area of the State – into the APC.”
However, he clarified that “although Senator Uba was earlier in the day at his Udoka Housing Estate office, where several dignitaries, including serving state and federal legislators came to discuss their planned movement into the All Progressives Congress, APC, thus leading to huge traffic snarl in the area, we assert that Senator Uba had long left the office before the unfortunate incident occurred.”
He, therefore, concluded that the circulation of the visual clip was a desperate attempt made to drag Senator Uba into the unfortunate incident, despite his known reputation for intolerance of any form of violence.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a 49-seconds trending video showing an obvious altercation between a motorist and some security personnel, allegedly at the Udoka Housing Estate, Awka.
“Although the long and close-up shots of the said video had none of the vehicles in Senator Andy Uba’s convoy in view, desperate attempts are being made to drag Senator Uba into the unfortunate incident.
“For us at the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO, while we frown at any form of brutality or overzealousness on the part of any law enforcement agent, or agency, we hasten to add that it would be bad politics to attempt to drag the Senator into a matter he is clearly unaware of.
“In deed, our findings indicate that at the time of the said incident, Senator Uba was at Hollywood Events Centre, Agu Awka, where he received defecting local government and ward chairmen of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA – including the chairman of Governor Willie Obiano’s home ward in Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government Area of the state – into the APC.
“Although Senator Uba was earlier in the day at his Udoka Housing Estate office, where several dignitaries, including serving state and federal legislators came to discuss their planned movement into the All Progressives Congress, APC, thus leading to huge traffic snarl in the area, we assert that Senator Uba had long left the office before the unfortunate incident occurred.
“We, therefore, urge the public to be circumspect in believing any form of propaganda aimed at tarnishing the soaring image of Senator Uba, especially in the aftermath of the gale of defections into the APC.
“If for nothing else, every resident of Anambra and beyond can attest to Senator Uba’s gentle mien, and the pious values he holds dear to his heart, notable of which is the abhorrence of violence in any form.”