Anambra State Police Command on Thursday said it saw no need to arrest wife of outgoing Governor of Anambra State, Ebelechukwu Obiano; and widow of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Bianca; for breach of public peace.
The Command spokesman, Ikenga Tochukwu, made this known in a text response to a question..
According to him, the security agents at the Government House, Agu-Awka, Awka, the state capital, quickly intervened and prevented the brawl between the two personalities from escalating into a full-blown affray and the inauguration of Chukwuma Soludo as the governor of the state continued afterwards.
The two long-feuding women locked horns at the event on Thursday and exchanged slaps before cameras. The development made the outgoing governor, Willie and his wife to abruptly leave the venue of the swearing-in ceremony of Soludo.
Activist Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians had said the two women should be arrested by the police for a breach of public peace, noting that both Bianca and Ebelechukwu set a bad precedent for young ladies present at the event.
When contacted on the possibility of their arrest for affray, which is a criminal offence, the PPRO said, “Because of the intervention of security personnel, the quarrel between the two personalities didn’t escalate. Meanwhile, the event continued without any further problems and if there is any need to interface between the two, the Police Command will do so.”
As reported by The Nation, Ebelechukwu, wife of former Governor Willie Obiano and wife of late Ikemba Nnewi, Bianca Ojukwu had engaged in a free-for- all at the inauguration of Prof Chukwuma Soludo as Anambra Governor on Thursday.
The drama ensued when Obiano’s wife arrived the inauguration after Soludo and his Deputy, Onyekachi Ibezim had been sworn in by Chief Judge, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu at exactly 10.55am
Obiano’s wife, who sat close to Senator Uche Ekwunife and Anambra Speaker Uche Okafor, stood up to stay with her husband when the fracas happened.
On her way to where Obiano was sitting, she saw Ojukwu’s wife gorgeously dressed and seated.
Facing her, Obiano’s wife said: “You said we’re not going to be Governor, you ‘bitch.”
An enraged Bianca responded with a slap.
In retaliation, Obiano’s wife held Bianca’s hair and dress before security operatives and other dignitaries barricaded the arena, warning reporters to dismantle their equipment immediately.
While the fight lasted, Obiano, Soludo and Senator Uche Ekwunife among others were stunned.
Before Obiano’s wife got to the arena, security operatives stopped her from driving through the main gate while Bishops were allowed in through the same route.
She alighted from her vehicle and started hitting the gate, ordering the security operatives to open for her.
But the security operatives refused, saying they were working on instruction.
After the fracas, Obiano left the inauguration venue immediately before Soludo’s speech with his wife, looking dejected .
None of the dignatories in attendance wanted to discuss the issue with The Nation.
But others, who reacted on the incident on condition of anonymity, blamed Obiano’s wife for the incident.
Meanwhile, activist Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians on Thursday said the two women acted as thugs when they publicly fought at the inauguration of Chukwuma Soludo as the governor of the state.
Adeyanju also said the two women should be arrested by the police for breach of public peace, noting that both Bianca and Ebelechukwu set a bad precedent for young ladies present at the event.
The activist had spoken in a chat with The Punch while reacting to the clash of the two women at the Government House, Agu-Awka, Awka, the state capital.
He said, “The police should arrest and charge the two women for disturbance of public peace. They are thugs. What has happened is a bad precedent for young women. It is unfortunate that these are the people we have up there. The loss of values is so obvious. It is sad.”
The two long-feuding women had locked horns at the event on Thursday and exchanged slaps before cameras. The development made the outgoing governor, Willie and his wife to abruptly leave the venue of the swearing-in ceremony of Soludo.
Also the Senator representing Anambra North, Stella Oduah, condemned Obiano’s wife for ‘unwarranted attack’ on Bianca Ojukwu
During the swearing-in of Professor Charles Soludo as governor of Anambra on Thursday, Mrs Obiano and Ojukwu engaged in a physical combat which disrupted the ceremony.
On her Twitter account, Oduah described Mrs Obiano’s “unwarranted attack” as “indecorous and unbecoming” of a former First Lady.
Oduah said, “I hereby condemn in strong terms, this unwarranted attack against the wife of an illustrious son and our very own Ikemba. I wish to add that the act exhibited by the former first lady was indecorous and unbecoming of a woman who had acted as a mother of the state and even desirous of serving in other capacities.
“More condemnable is even the gutter and vulgar language used by Mrs Obiano to describe her fellow woman, who is even a widow. I have always held the view that it is only weak minds that label hardworking women like Bianca with nasty names such as ‘ashawo’.
“What the world witnessed today at the swearing in ceremony is utterly disgraceful, unfortunate, crude and should never be emulated by the millions of our young girls and women who often look up to public figures with respect to how they conduct themselves.”
It should be noted that former governor Willie Obiano, has declared that his wife will be running for the senatorial seat of Anambra North, same seat being occupied by Oduah.
The Punch / The Nation
