Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu on Sunday was hurriedly whisked away from a football pitch at Ulunya, Ovoko, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Some thugs suspected to be loyal to Hon. Pat Asadu representing Nsukka Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives invaded the football pitch where Ekweremadu kicked-off the match.
The football tournament was sponsored by Ike Oha Foundation, owned by Ekweremadu after the youths approached the House member representing them and he declined, according to sources.
Out of anger, thugs pulled down the goal posts and threaten to lynch the lawmaker and his entourage before they were moved out of the match venue.
The youths who spoke separately to newsmen said, Hon. Asadu refused to sponsor them after he was approached before seeking Ekweremadu’s financial assistance.
He said: ” At my level, there is hardly anything that would happen in Ovoko and the people won’t call my name. I didn’t know that Ekweremadu was coming to my country home. I only read that on social media. How he came and where he went are his personal businesses which he has a right to embark on.
Hon. Asadu while reacting to the claim that he sponsored thugs to derail the football tournament challenge anyone to produce evidence that he was behind the incident.
Asadu explained that the vigilante in the community who said they noticed politics behind the tournament when it was being planned and insisted that it should not take place.
“For the 24 years that the tournament held, this is the first time that the football association is inviting someone from Aninri or Orba or any community outside Ovoko to sponsor it.
“Therefore, some people were not comfortable with the arrangement and they went to court to obtain an order to stop it.”
When contacted, Ekweremadu thanked the youths for not giving in to violence. He said he would not be distracted in his mission of bringing good governance to the people of the state.
