Emma Elekwa
Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area, Chief Stanley Nkwoka has debunked allegation of being behind assassination attempt on Hon Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, a House of Representatives aspirant.
Nkwoka, in a statement, described the allegations which also claimed thugs with two policemen were hospitalized as unfounded.
According to him, it also revealed troubling pattern of political opportunism, reckless rhetoric, and blatant attempt to distort facts for personal gain.
He warned that attempt to drag his name into such controversies is nothing more than desperate and failed smear campaign.
According to him, true leadership is measured not by noise and confrontation, but by restraint, accountability, and commitment to the collective good.
The statement reads, “First, as a public office holder who claims to respect the rule of law, Hon. Ibezi owes the people of Idemili North a clear explanation of his presence at a venue already flagged through formal communication for potential security risks.
“Leadership demands prudence, not provocation. Ignoring a documented security advisory raises serious questions about intent and judgment.
“Second, his decision to appear at the same location in the company of unidentified, non-uniformed, armed individuals further deepens public concern.
Atmosphere of tension
“In a time when insecurity remains a sensitive issue, no responsible leader should create an atmosphere that could escalate tension or trigger avoidable confrontation.
“This is not leadership it is calculated recklessness.
“Third, the attempt to frame a routine security response as a “distress situation” linked to Operation Udogachi is both misleading and politically disingenuous.
“Operation Udogachi is a legitimate state-backed initiative designed to combat insecurity across Anambra.
“Any engagement involving such operatives, particularly in a location already under security watch, cannot reasonably be twisted into an assassination narrative without credible evidence.
“What we are witnessing is a deliberate politicization of security efforts.
“Fourth, Hon. Ibezi himself acknowledged receiving a warning letter from the office of the Mayor regarding possible security threats.
“A responsible leader would have engaged constructively either by consulting the Mayor, coordinating with security agencies, or postponing the event in the interest of public safety.
“Instead, he chose confrontation over cooperation, signaling a worrying disregard for constituted authority and due process.
Options not explored
“Fifth, if he truly doubted the Mayor’s advisory, there were multiple institutional channels available state security agencies, higher political authorities, and law enforcement bodies.
His failure to utilize these avenues, while simultaneously crying foul, suggests a premeditated attempt to create a political spectacle rather than resolve a security concern.
“Ultimately, the claim of an attempted assassination appears less like a credible security report and more like a political narrative crafted to gain sympathy and discredit a sitting local government administration.
“It is a classic case of crying wolf loud, dramatic, but lacking substance.
“The people of Idemili North deserve leadership rooted in responsibility, coordination, and respect for institutions not theatrics, intimidation, and unfounded accusations.
“The attempt to drag the name of Mayor Nkwoka Stanley Chigbo into this controversy is nothing more than a desperate and failed smear campaign.
“In the end, true leadership is measured not by noise and confrontation, but by restraint, accountability, and commitment to the collective good. On that scale, this episode speaks volumes.”
Chief Chigbo said emphatically that the attempt to lie against his person falls flat in the face of the allegation that two police officers sustained gunshot injuries during the purported attack on Chief Ibezi considering the fact that the Anambra State Police Command has not made any statement concerning the attack on two of her personnel.
