Chief Theodore Orji Photo: Sun News Publishing

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But for a seeming wrong timing on the part of his assailants, Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, would probably have been a dead man by now.

The governor’s convoy was ambushed by gunmen on its way to the Port Harcourt International Airport to pick him on his return from a trip overseas. Incidentally, at the time of the ambush, the governor had yet to be to be picked up by the convoy.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ukoha Kalu, told Daily Sun that gunmen intercepted the convoy, made up of seven cars, around Ugwunabor, in Ukwa Local Government Area of the state and immediately opened fire.

Virtually all the seven vehicles in the convoy were riddled with bullets, but the most hit was the car that the governor was expected to ride in.


Although Ukoha said it would be wrong to begin to ascribe the attack to any source just yet, he said Gov. Orji remained intimidated by any antics of political opponents.
He also confirmed that all members of the entourage, including the press crew had safety returned to Umuahia without any casualty.

As at the time of filing this report, Daily Sun could not confirm the veracity of an initial report that the gunmen made away with two of the vehicles in the convoy, including the governor's bullet-proof car.


It’s an attempt on my life – Gov Orji
From MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr Theodore Orji has said that the attack on his convoy on Tuesday morning by unidentified gunmen was an assassination attempt on his life.
The governor, who addressed newsmen after the incident on arrival from a trip abroad wondered why the gunmen concentrated on the vehicles in the convoy and riddled them with bullets.
The early morning shoot-out around Ngwa Iyiekwe in the Ugwunagbo Local Government Area along the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway occurred when the government house convoy was on its way to receive Governor Orji at the Port Harcourt Airport.

Security reports indicated that the assassins thought the convoy was leading the governor to Port Harcourt, not knowing that they were going to receive him.
Governor Orji, who thanked God that he showed him a window of escape, said the hoodlums were carrying out a plan hatched by his detractors.

“I have already told people that I have a divine mandate to govern Abia State, that is why any time they planned evil against me, God would open a window of escape for me,” the governor said.
He said he had a court case with his opponents at the Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt and wondered why they would not be patient for the outcome of the matter.
Continuing, he said his detractors knew what would be the outcome of the matter, stressing that “that is why they have planned to eliminate me, but they cannot succeed.”

He said all those involved in the dastardly act would get their rewards one way or the other.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Ralph Egbu has dispelled the rumour that the governor and his deputy, Chris Akomas had been kidnapped by unknown persons.
He described the rumour as mischievous, false and intended to cause panic in the state. He assured that the Abia State Government was intact and in control.
Egbu said government was sad that some people could hatch such an evil plan against the state governor to eliminate him for no reason.

The commissioner, who said the police had swung into action to investigate the incident, added that the government noted in particular that the target of the gunmen was the staff car (governor's car).
At the briefing attended by the Commissioners for Public Utilities, High Chief Johnny Ukpabi; Land, Chief K. C. Ugboaja; Finance, Deacon Richard Harrison; the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor (CPS), Mr. Ukoha Kalu; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Maduekwe Ukaegbo; Deacon Egbu said the governor's car escaped because it was bullet-proof, while the back-up car was riddled with bullets.

The attackers, he said, were equipped with assault weapons with chained bullets, which gave them the firepower to withstand the security in the convoy for over 15 minutes the shoot-out lasted.
“We believe that they thought that the governor was going on an early morning assignment to Abuja.”
The people exhibited clear murderous tendency, which justified the report that some people were already jubiliating in some quarters that the plans had been realized.
The commissioner said the phone calls he received from some media personnel few minutes after the incident happened suggested that the executors reached out to them as the incident was happening to inform them that they had succeeded.

Describing the incident as a “giant assault on the security of the state,” Egbu said it appeared that those chased out from the urban centres had relocated to the rural areas to carry out their nefarous activities.
He emphasized that, “the governor is back and fully in control and the deputy governor hale and hearty and is carrying out his normal duties.”