The Transition Chairman of Ukwuani Local Government Council, Hon Ochor C. Ochor had described the publication in the December, 2014 edition of The Investigator Newspaper, by the Publisher, Mr Ben Olokume as false and only an antic to misinform the public on the person of the Chairman of the Local Government.
The Chairman, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media/Publicity, Hon Jerry Okpue in a press briefing, titled the “The Antics of Ben Olokume Publication- The true Story”, says the business of newspaper publishing demands public attitude, unquestionable character and high standard of professionalism from publishers, described that the publication has been thrown into thrash bin for selfish reasons and junk journalism.
The press briefing which was held at the home of the Transition Chairman before some public and private media houses was witnessed by some local government workers, a member of the Ukwuani Elders Council and some youths of Ukwuani LGA and other members of Ukwuani LGA.
The December 2013 edition of the Investigator carried a front page story with a banner headline, “Ochor the Boxer” in which he alleged that he was beaten up by thugs attached to the Chairman. The media aid to the Chairman says all that was published was false and devoid of the act of proper journalistic work. In the said publication, the publisher alleged that the local government Chairman owes him the Sum of N470, 000.00, and was beaten up for daring to ask for the payment. The Chairman says it is a blatant lie. He says the truth of the matter is that Mr Olokume served as the secretary of a committee to recover some council property, and the committee submitted a bill of N470, 000.00 naira, and the sum of N290.000.00 was already paid to the committee. That the said amount of money is not a private business between him and Mr Ben Olokume, but a government job and there are due processes to secure payment. The Chairman commended that in the course of carrying out his duty as the secretary of the committee; Mr Olokume delivered excellently and was duly commended
Speaking further, the Media aid, said the Chairman asked Mr Olokume to go and see that invoice is raised for the balance to be paid, because the Chairman does not have the veto power to pay without due process but can sign for the payment to be carried out after all the necessary processes is processed for such payment to be done.
According to the media aid, the so called incident that happened between the Chairman and Mr Ben Olokume never resulted to any physical contact between the chairman and Mr Ben Olokume, but rather he, Mr Olokume, came for an interview concerning the one year in office of the Chairman and before the interview could be conducted he demanded for the sum of N470, 000.00, which the sum of N290, 000 was already paid to the committee. But in the process of explaining to him on the process to get the balance he became angry, rattling wanting to fight the chairman, In which he fell down and was helped to stand up by people like Hon Macqueen Ogbolu, Alonu Sylvester, Osamezu Sunday and Baron Ifukor who were all witnesses to the incident.
Hon Okpue, concluded by stating that for avoidable doubt, the council boss moves without security. He has no thug that works for him, but rather the Chairman of the council had rather shown since resumption as council boss gentility to all and sundry.
….The Ukwuani Elders Council Asks the Publisher to Apologise to the Chairman.
The Ukwuani Elders Council (UEC), which is made up of the representatives from the palaces of the Okpala Uku’s and Onotu Uku’s of the nine communities in Ukwuani Local Government Council, speaking through their representative, Onotu Chidiniisu Ajade, the Oweishi of Obiaruku, says the publication was embarrassing to the people of Ukwuani for their council boss to be involved in any form of physical fight with anybody. He said based on the gravity of the publication the UEC decided to look into the matter and to ask the council boss what could lead to such a low esteem for him to have a physical combat with one of his subjects.
According to Onotu Uku Ajade, the council is made up of reputable men from Ukwuani LGA. That in other to find out the truth they invited the publisher and some of those who were present on the day the incident happened. He said Mr Ben Olokume when asked what happened said he went to demand for his money only for the chairman to push him out and he fell to the ground. The chief said the main aim of the meeting was to ascertain if the chairman actually fought him, because his headline was “Ochor the Boxer”, but he continued to talk of his money which the body said that was not their term of reference.
He said that all who were present on that day confirmed that there was no combat involving the Chairman, and that he could not also provide evidence to show the council boss fought him, but rather was talking more of the money. Even the witness he called Hon Emezulu confirmed there was no physical contact between the two.
The traditional chief says that the publisher of the Investigator should apologise to the chairman and the people of Ukwuani for publishing a story tarnishing the image of the council chairman and the people of Ukwuani
Also speaking, Hon Macqueen Ogbolu describes the publication of Mr Olokume as lie. According to her the publisher of the Investigator came into the premises witha prepared mind. That he never responded to their greetings that faithful day.
Hon Ogbolu, who was the first female councillor in ward 4, said she was one of the witnesses to the incident and there was no fight between the chairman and the publisher. Continuing, she said she first witnessed the chairman coming down to meet with Mr Olokume and giving him the sum of N30,000 with some papers which contain the details of the Chairman’s one year in office. That all she could see later was the angry approach by Mr Olokume towards the council boss in an effort to fight him, but the people prevented him from getting to the chairman.
The Hon advised that a publisher like Mr Olokume should be humble and not aggressive no matter the provocation. She described the incidents as embarrassing.
She equally used the opportunity to thank the Chairman for the security during the festive periods of Christmas and the New Year.
Also speaking during the press briefing, the supervisory councillor, ward 4 Hon Emezulu Goddey said from all he had held, it is not true. He says that the action of the publisher was not a good conduct. He described the demand of Mr Olokume from the Chairman as a punishable offence for bringing official work to his house. He said it was a total lie and there was no such incident, and he wondered if the committee advised him to go to the chairman to collect the chairman.
