How Power Struggle Over Isiguzoro’s Emergence as Deputy Chairman Turned Bloody in Obingwa | #NwokeukwuMascot

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The violent clash that marred a Labour Party stakeholders’ meeting in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State has once again drawn attention to a troubling pattern of internal violence within the ruling party in the state.

What should have been a peaceful and strategic political engagement at the private residence of Hon. Peter Azubuike in Umuogele Ntigha Uzo instead ended in bloodshed, with Mr. David Amaraizu, a former councillor and Personal Assistant to Governor Alex Otti’s Special Assistant, Dr. Ebere Uzoukwa sustaining a head injury after allegedly being struck with a broken bottle.

Disturbingly, this incident is not an isolated case. Rather, it reinforces growing public concern that disagreements among members of Governor Alex Otti’s party are increasingly being settled through violence rather than dialogue.

The Obingwa incident reportedly began when Dr. Uzoukwa received a call from Labour Party stakeholders seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding the emergence of Hon. Ibe Nwoke Michael as Obingwa Local Government Chairman. Following the call, Hon. Peter Azubuike invited Dr. Uzoukwa to his residence to address the gathering in person.

Dr. Uzoukwa arrived with Mr. Amaraizu and met other stakeholders, including the Deputy Mayor of Obingwa, Hon. Destiny Isiguzoro. Discussions initially proceeded calmly until the issue of who influenced Hon. Isiguzoro’s emergence as Deputy Chairman arose.

According to eyewitnesses, Hon. Isiguzoro claimed that Hon. Azubuike single-handedly made him Deputy Chairman. This claim was firmly rejected by Dr. Uzoukwa, who insisted that Hon. Isiguzoro had consulted him and other Labour Party leaders in Obingwa before his appointment.

Mr. Amaraizu supported his principal’s position, recalling a meeting in Aba where Hon. Isiguzoro allegedly sought and obtained Dr. Uzoukwa’s endorsement.

That intervention reportedly infuriated the Deputy Mayor, who allegedly threatened to assault Mr. Amaraizu, dismissing him as politically irrelevant. Mr. Amaraizu, however, reminded Hon. Isiguzoro of his own experience as a former councillor at a time when the Deputy Mayor was not yet close to the corridors of power.

PETER AZUBUIKE

Tensions escalated rapidly. Witnesses allege that Hon. Peter Azubuike, the host of the meeting and self acclaimed Labour Party stakeholder in Obingwa, suddenly picked up an empty wine bottle and smashed it on Mr. Amaraizu’s head, causing severe bleeding.

The violent act threw the meeting into chaos. Attendees reportedly restrained Hon. Azubuike to prevent further harm, while Mr. Amaraizu was rushed for medical treatment.

Following widespread speculation and conflicting narratives, Dr. Ebere Uzoukwa issued a detailed statement confirming the incident and affirming that Mr. Amaraizu’s account was “accurate and truthful.”

He provided a step-by-step account of events, explaining that the disagreement was verbal until Hon. Isiguzoro threatened violence, after which Mr. Amaraizu attempted to leave the room only to be attacked by the host.

“At that moment, Hon. Azubuike restrained him, smashed an empty wine bottle on his head, and attempted to cause further harm,” Dr. Uzoukwa stated, adding that he and others intervened.

Dr. Uzoukwa further revealed that he too was physically assaulted during the fracas and sustained injuries to his leg, noting with regret that he had received no call or message from Hon. Azubuike to de-escalate tensions afterward.

Beyond the immediate incident in Obingwa, political observers have noted that this is not the first time violence involving bottles has occurred among members of Governor Alex Otti’s party.

It will be recalled that the Majority Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Okoro, was previously accused of a similar act at the residence of the Osisioma State Constituency lawmaker, Hon. Fine Ahuoma. In that earlier incident, Hon. Okoro allegedly used a bottle to smash the head of his colleague, Hon. Ucheonye Stephen Akachukwu.

That altercation was reportedly linked to disagreements over an alleged sharing formula arising from the derivative of a supplementary budget, an incident that sparked outrage at the time but was later subdued without clear public accountability.

UCHENNA OKORO

The recurrence of such violent episodes has raised serious questions about internal discipline, conflict resolution mechanisms, and leadership control within the Labour Party under Governor Alex Otti’s watch.

As calls grow louder for restraint and internal reforms, many party faithful and concerned citizens are demanding thorough investigations into these incidents and decisive sanctions against those found culpable, irrespective of status or political influence.

For now, the Obingwa violence stands as yet another  reminder that when political ambition, ego, and unchecked power collide, the consequences can be both bloody and destabilizing not just for individuals, but for the credibility of the party itself.