Former member of the Delta state house of assembly representing Aniocha south state constituency in the last assembly, Hon. Austine Chikezie, has reacted to a viral video where he reportedly slapped a youth among others who allegedly invaded his private house on Saturday.
He told Emerald News crew who sought his reaction that though the incident actually happened, the event was not for primary election as was being speculated by people whom he described as political foes.
He described the event as a set up to show he was holding primary election in his house. He told this medium that the event was not for primary election but the youths came, locked the gate of his house and took the key and attempted preventing him from going outside his house.
He said the event was a set up by his enemies to make it look as if a primary election was holding in his house. He noted: “I did it because somebody I do not know cannot lock my gate and lock me inside my house. What they are circulating is yes but not primary election.
“The youth is not an executive of the party. He is not a stakeholder. He should tell us who he is in the party that he should come to my house and lock my gate. I had to call the police to force them to open the gate. People came out to rescue me.
“I don’t even know the youth. I don’t even know if he is a PDP member.”
PART OF THE REACTION IS HEREBY REPRODUCED VERBATIM
“On Saturday, May 18, I decided to go to the village and have a small meeting with my workers and receive visitors. That is what I do. Every Saturday, I go to the village, get feelers from my people and return to the town. I was sitting with my immediate elder brother and his son when I heard a big bang on the gate of my house.
“The vigilante who I employed as security was there. He ran to tell me that somebody was dragging the gun with him at the gate. I stood up and asked him to go inside. Before I knew what was happening, they pushed the gate opened and came inside. It was an invasion. They were up to 20, shouting that they came for the party councillorship primaries.
“I told them that we were not doing party primaries in my house. The venue is the townhall. And that even if we are doing it anywhere, you must be accredited. Are you all accredited that you are here? Before I knew it, they entered inside and started chanting war songs. At that stage, I had to defend myself and shouted for people to come. It was my shouting that drew the attention of every other person.
“In the process, somebody blocked the gate of my house. One Branny used his car to block the gate. I had to inform the police at Nsukwa to come and rescue me. It was the noise that I made and my defense that attracted people’s attention, otherwise nobody knew what they were up to.
“I stand to say that they were not party stakeholders. If they were party stakeholders, let them tender their evidence, especially that boy that had the confrontation with me, let him tender his evidence that he is a party stakeholder.
“Even if he is a party stakeholder, my place was not the venue for the primaries. Why coming to my house to harass me? Like I said earlier, when you are pursued into your house, where will you run to? You must defend yourself. That was what happened.
“I didn’t know what they came to do in my house. Ask the person that reported to identify that particular boy, they know them. I don’t know them, let him identify that boy. I don’t know him as an indigene of the community. Let them identify him, I will know him when I see him.
Your role in the local government
I’m one of the leaders of the party in the local government. In my community, I’m the leader of the party.
When is the primary election holding?
We fixed it to hold on Sunday, May 19. And it held very peacefully. I will show you the video clip of the primary election. It was very peaceful. I discussed with all the aspirants. I proposed Monday but they said No but that it should hold on Sunday, and we did it on Sunday at the townhall.
