A group, Omambala Youth Association (OYA), has given Gov Charles Soludo of Anambra State seven days to withdrew his alleged demeaning comments against the Spiritual Director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry (Uke), Rev Fr Emmanuel Obimma, aka Fr Ebube Muonso.
The group is an umbrella body of youth in the old Anambra Local Government Area comprising Oyi, Anambra East, Anambra West and Ayamwlum. The group also included Gov Soludo’s agents in the ultimatum.
Those allegedly attacking the priest on behalf of Soludo, according to the group, include Mr Ejimofor Opara, the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, who the group claimed described the priest as a “hypocrite”.
Others are the state Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, who the group said described Fr Obimma as a “pretender”.
The Coordinator of APGA Media Forum, Chinedu Obigwe, was also accused of describing Fr Ebube Muonso as “the voice of the opposition political parties”.
The group’s position was contained in a release made available to NewsNGR in Awka on Tuesday.
The group berated Soludo’s stance on Fr Ebube Muonso’s warning about insecurity in Anambra State, and expressed disappointment that instead of attacking worsening cases of insecurity as observed by the priest, the governor and his supporters were busy directing their attacks on the Catholic priest.
The group, therefore, requested the governor to cause his aides and supporters to openly withdraw such words within seven working days, or risk losing the loyalty of the youths of Omambala to the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The statement reads, “Omambala youths have been following the worsening dimensions of insecurity in Anambra, as observed by Fr Ebube Muonso in his warning message.
“In the month of December, 2024 alone, several prominent individuals in Anambra were kidnapped, and some killed.
“On December 24, 2024, a lawmaker representing Onitsha North 1 State Constituency, Justice Azuka, was kidnapped.
“On December 26, 2024, a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Nnewi, Fr Tobias Okonkwo, was brutally murdered in Ihiala area of the state by unknown gunmen.
“The next day, being December 27, 2024, three principal staffers of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company were kidnapped at Nnewi, and till date, they are not released.
“Earlier on December 7, 2024, a retired Anglican Archbishop, Prof Godwin Okpala, was kidnapped alongside his personal driver within Umuchu area of the state.
“Also, within the same period, another Catholic priest, Fr Nonso, was kidnapped, and Fr Ebube Muonso, according to him, had to pay the sum of N1m to the police to track the kidnappers, and rescue the victim.”
The youth expressed disappointment that instead of accepting the message from the pulpit with the maturity of a leader, and attacking insecurity with the swiftness it deserved, the governor rather deployed his “attack dogs to go after the Catholic priest”.
Quoting the group, “This does not go down well with youths of Omambala. We believe that other people resident in Anambra, who witness daily occurrence of kidnapping and violent crimes, will share similar sentiment.
“No leader who has the interest of his people at heart will attack anybody who offers him constructive criticisms.
“As citizens of the state, we’re unhappy about worsening insecurity in our state. We’re worried that efforts of different security agencies operating in the state are not enough to tame the tide.
“We’re also unhappy that our governor, upon whose shoulders the security of lives and property rests, is always indisposed to accept that such a problem exists.
“If within seven days the governor failed to cause those mentioned to retract their comments on this matter; and if within seven days the governor failed to show visible commitment towards the protection of lives and property of Ndi Anambra, Omambala Youths Association will be forced to withdraw its support for APGA and the Soludo’s administration.”