The governor insisted it would be unfair for anybody to blame the President, describing the biting hardship as a global phenomenon not limited to Nigeria.

Uzodimma made the statement when he came on a solidarity visit to the secretariat of the APC in Abuja, to commiserate with the National Chairman of the ruling party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, over the loss of his mother-in-law.

He was accompanied by Governors Bassey Otu of Cross River, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo and Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti.

He said, “We don’t need to overflog the horse. The truth of the matter is that the APC has done very well in Nigeria. What is happening currently is a global economic problem. President Bola Tinubu is also bringing out policies to ensure that, given the kind of economy and situation he met on the ground, he has started the treatment.

“By the grace of God, I am very confident that very soon, Nigerians will be jubilant about how he has managed to navigate the waters.

“We have to visit the secretariat to be in touch with the leadership of the party, national chairman and members of the National Working Committee and, above all, to commiserate with him who just lost his mother-in-law; and also show solidarity with the chairman and managers of our party.”

The PGF chairman expressed optimism that the APC would wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party-led government in Edo State at the September 21 governorship election.

The governor also disclosed that some of the APC governors would also monitor the polls in Edo and Ondo states to show solidarity for their governorship candidates.

He said, “Of course you know, I am the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum. When I speak, I speak on behalf of my colleagues, the 20 governors and a party like APC that controls 20 of the 36 states. If an election is a game of numbers, it means the majority will win.

“For instance, on the 20th of this month, the national campaign council will be inaugurated in Edo State and it is expected that most of us, the members of the Progressives Governors Forum, will be in attendance. Which other party can provide or boast of such an asset, politically speaking?”

Ganduje welcomed the delegation, saying he felt honoured by their visit.

“There is no doubt that we are highly delighted when we got the information that they (governors) are coming. So, I think it is a blessing to us. We have confidence in them.

“We will do all it takes to ensure that we maintain good relationships with our governors all over the country and help to protect their interests. There is no doubt that they are also assisting the party and making us proud as an institution,” he said.

The 30-year-old Nigerian who hailed from Awo Ommamma in the Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, was shot three times in his chest by armed robbers at the World Bank junction roundabout in Owerri, the state capital.

The father of two was said to be withdrawing money from a Point Of Sale operator when his killers struck.

His immediate elder brother, Shedrack said, after the police operatives released the mortuary tally to him and gave him the clean bill of health to bury him, said that his family was traumatized by the killing of his young brother.

The distraught 32-year-old said that the armed robbers who robbed the POS operator killed his brother after accusing him of calling policemen to storm the scene.

He said that all the appeals his brother made to the armed robbers that he was not calling policemen fell on deaf ears as they shot him dead on the spot.

The businessman said that his brother was pronounced dead at the Umuguma Specialists General Hospital where policemen took him.

He said, “My name is Shedrack Anulika Chukwumerem. My younger brother’s name is Wisdom Somtochukwu Chukwumerem. He returned from abroad about three years ago. He had a house at world bank Area N And I was living with him in his house when I was driving a commercial service bus known as Bus Imo.

“But I relocated back to the village to start up a business. We are from Umuduru Isieke in Awo-omamma in the Oru East local government area of Imo State. At about 8pm on 10th August 2023, I received a distress call from his wife that my brother was shot by armed robbers

“So I drove straight to Owerri that same night and I was directed by the Policemen there to come to the Imo State specialist hospital and when I got there I saw my brother’s lifeless body and policemen were present there.

“He was married with two kids, all girls. He would have been 30 years on November 27. He ought to be traveling back to the UK by the first week of September before he was shot dead. So, the policemen told me that there was an armed robbery attack at the Umuguma roundabout at a POS stand and my brother was there to withdraw money eventually he was shot because they noticed he was on call and the robbers thought that he was trying to call the police against them.

“And he was shot in the left side of his chest. So I deposited his body at the morgue that same night. The policemen took the tally and told me to report the next day. He was my immediate younger brother. I’m 32 years old. He would have been 30 on 27 November.

“Now I have been compelled by the police at Umuguma Division to open a case file and I told them that I don’t want any case and I’m not interested in any case. They told me to open it even if I don’t want any case which I did.

“I went with them to the scene of the incident. It happened between 8 and 8:30 pm precisely. I have gone to the scene of the incident with the policemen and gone to the mortuary. They took pictures which I paid for. They told me to go to court and swear an affidavit which I did.

“The policemen at Umuguma Division transferred the matter to the homicide section of the State CID in Owerri which I did with money all in a quest to release my brother’s corpse for burial.

“And I was pushed to contact a lawyer. With the help of the lawyer, I have written an application to the CP for withdrawal of the case. The policemen are with the application which I submitted last week.”

Displaying the mortuary tally to our correspondent on Monday, Shedrack said that the policemen at the homicide section of the state police command had released it to him.

He said, “After meeting with the IPO in the company of my lawyer this afternoon, the mortuary tally of my brother has been released to me. Look at it. I can now bury him. But I will first take his corpse to a closer mortuary in my town to enable me to plan for his funeral rites easier.

“He was our breadwinner. My widowed mother is depressed. Our father died 20 years ago. His first daughter is three years old while the second daughter is just a year and three months. It is a very bad development for us. We are very saddened.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, said that the withdrawal of the case and the family’s request for the police to allow them to bury their son do not in any way affect the investigation process.

He said that the police would continue with their investigation and once the suspects are arrested, they would be arraigned for murder.

The court in a ruling delivered by Justice A.S. Adepoju set aside the police invitation letter dated March 13, 2023 sent to Ugochinyere, Ihedioha and Irona.

Ruling in the suit between Ugochinyere and seven respondents including the governor of Imo State, State Security Services, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Imo State, Ebubeagu Security Network and the Deputy Inspector General  in charge of Federal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau; the court stated: “It is hereby ordered that the letter dated March 13, 2023, titled “INVESTIGATION ACTIVITIES- RE: CASE OF MURDER(SIC), KIDNAPPING AND ARSON” be set aside pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The court further held that “the respondents are restrained whether by themselves, agents, officers, staff, privies or howsoever described from giving any effect, carrying out, proceeding with, arresting, further inviting or taking any other steps in furtherance of or in connection with the said letter of invitation dated March 13, 2023, as it affects the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Earlier, in a letter addressed to the Imo state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Charles Ugwu, the Police invited the applicant and others in connection to what it called the investigation into a case of murder, kidnapping and arson.

By the ruling of the court, the Imo state police command which has been accused by the member elect for its alleged complicity in the multiple attacks on his person and his home and for failing to conduct any form of investigation has been stopped in this fresh move to arrest Ugochinyere.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to April 4, 2023 for a hearing.

Anumudu was reported dead in his Lagos home after returning from a meeting at the LP secretariat in Abuja.

The deceased was a native of Mbieri Ancient Kingdom in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.

A family friend confirmed the death saying the auto merchant died on Friday evening in Lagos.

He added that his death came as a shock.

Until his death, Anumudu was a multi-billionaire businessman cum politician who had been contesting the governorship seat of the state since 1998.

He was said to be the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in the state in 1998 before the ticket was ceded to Achike Udenwa who went on to rule the state between 1999 and 2007.

Since then, he had been contesting for the number one seat of the state.

In 2019, he was the Zenith Labour party governorship candidate.

He was also a respected legal luminary and the Chief Executive Officer of Globe Motors.

He was killed by gunmen who operated in motorcycles, while presiding a court session, our correspondent was told by close sources.

The incident brought the court sitting to an abrupt end as lawyers, court staff and litigants fled.

The killing of the jurist who our correspondent gathered hailed from Nnebukwu community in Oguta LGA caused panic in Ejemekwuru community as natives and residents alike fled their homes.

One of the sources said,” The jurist was a law graduate of 1991 set. He was killed in his court while sitting. His killers came with motorcycles. They came into the court, dragged him out and shot him dead and drove off.

“His corpse was there as people in court fled. The whole thing is confusing because nobody knew any reason while they killed him. He was from Nnebukwu community in Oguta LGA here.”

When contacted, the chairman of the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ugochukwu Allinor, who confirmed the killing said that the branch would communicate the public on its actions in regards to the incident.

The spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, did not take his calls when contacted and he had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile number as of the time of filing this report.

The kidnappers made the demand on Sunday, two days after he was abducted in front of his office at the ever-busy Tetlow Road in Owerri, the state capital, around 7pm Friday.

The Isiala Umudi Autonomous Community monarch’s abductors had forced him inside their vehicle’s booth and zoomed off.

A source close to the kidnapped monarch said that his kidnappers called for the first time on Sunday and placed the mouth-watering amount as the condition for his release.

He disclosed that the kidnappers called one of his siblings through the monarch’s phone.

The source said, “The news is true. The kidnappers of his Royal Highness have called. They called his family for the first time since his abduction on Sunday. They asked the family to make available N200m on Monday. They called through his phone. I doubt where they will get that kind of money from.”

The police spokesperson for the command, Michael Abattam, said that the command had begun investigations.

Our correspondent who monitored the development saw policemen taking possession of the entrances to all the branches of the bank while staff and customers loitered around.

The stern-looking cops said that they were implementing a court judgment against the bank.

On inquiry, a staff of the bank who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the policemen were implementing a court judgment against the bank and the Imo State government.

He said that National Industrial Court in Owerri issued an absolute garnishee Order against the bank in a suit filed by a former deputy governor of Imo state, Eze Madumere, over his entitlements.

The staff said ” the policemen are implementing an absolute garnishee Order against Zenith bank in a matter filed by a former deputy governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere against Imo state government over his owed entitlements by the state government.

“The order is for N1.9bn entitlements claim and the policemen have come to implement the court order. The court ordered that our bank( Zenith) which Imo state government has court here be sealed until the judgment is implemented.”

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said that the judgment was given in error.

The Commissioner said,  “the judge who gave the judgment did it in such a way that he connived with the people against the Imo State Government. How could a judge give a judgement and bar the defendants from appealing it and gave 24 hours for the implementation of the judgement.

“I think that there is a vested interest. We are exploring other legal options to vacant the order. The judgement can’t stand serious legal scrutiny anywhere. It is a kangaroo judgement. The whole entitlements of a former deputy governor is not more than N200m. So, I wonder why a judge will order the payment of such a bogus amount.

“There are policemen in Imo state but they went and brought policemen from zone 9 in Umuahia. Nobody can intimidate the government. We can’t be cowed. We must do what is right for the good of the people of Imo state.”

The spokesperson for Zenith Bank, Ayoola Kusimo, didn’t pick up our correspondent’s phone calls and he had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile line.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos, Uzodimma insisted that he had identified the politicians behind insecurity in the state, and investigations by security agencies were ongoing

He said, “Politicians against the ruling All Progressives Congress are behind the killings and maiming in the state and I vow to name them. However, I had a meeting with security agencies who pleaded that naming the sponsors when the investigation is still going on could jeopardise the efforts. The last time I contacted them a few days ago, they requested two more weeks. I do hope that in two weeks, the report would be ready and then it would be made public to Nigerians.”

The governor also spoke on the quest for the presidency by the South-East, noting that Igbo presidency in 2023 would address the injustice and the cries of marginalisation in the region.

Every political party is after candidates’ capacity to win elections. In the South-East, we are ready to produce the President of Nigeria. There is a national sympathy for the South-East to produce the President. What will make it work is for the two leading political parties to produce candidates from the South-East geopolitical zone. Let the Peoples Democratic Party produce a South-Easterner as their presidential candidate. Let the APC also produce a South-Easterner as their presidential candidate. With this, we would have centralised this power-sharing in a manner that it has become all-inclusive and justice and equity would have been seen to be done,”

This comes after legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, called for an interim government to be in force for six months to chart a new course for Nigeria.

Uzodinma, while addressing State House Correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday, said this would create an interregnum not supported by the Nigerian Constitution.

The Governor said, “By May 29, if there is no elected government, our constitution has not provided for an interregnum. There shouldn’t be a gap, otherwise, you are creating room for anarchy.”

He advised those championing interim government to approach the National Assembly for the constitution to be amended to the effect.

He said, “What will be the process of selecting the interim government because, after May 29, the president may not have constitutional powers to function as a president anymore? So, I don’t think we will decide to abandon our constitution. The constitution is like a bible. For some of us who are Christians, the bible is the manager of our faith. So, the constitution should be the instrument guiding our actions as a country. If you think there is an opinion that is worthy to be canvassed superior to what is in the Nigerian Constitution, such opinion should be taken to the national assembly and they will through due process amend our constitution to factor in such an opinion.”

The attack which happened at the Umulolo session of the town in the morning caused panic in the area.

Security personnel who do not want to be mentioned told our correspondent that the prison warders were ambushed by their attackers.

The source said, “Two Hilux vans of officers of Imo correctional center were on Wednesday morning attacked by gunmen at Umulolo Okigwe. Their attackers threw dynamites on their vehicles. Two officers were killed on the spot while others were rushed to the hospital. While one Hilux van was destroyed by the dynamite the other was not affected.The unaffected van has been rescued and returned to base at the command’s headquarters in Owerri. The officers are attached to Operation Search and Flush established by the Imo state government to deal with crimes in the.

They took off from Owerri in the morning and on reaching Okigwe, the gunmen who were laying siege ambushed them.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the command, Goodluck Uboegbulem, said, “We are still accessing the situation. If you can call me later I will be able to give you the full details.”