by crossriverwatch admin
The initial pomp and pageantry that attended the empowerment program organized by Hon. Bassey Ewa, a member of the House of Representatives representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency, for his constituents in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government turned to a fiasco when an argument between Hon. Ewa and the Chief of Staff to Governor Imoke, Chief Alex Egbuna over the list of beneficiaries degenerated to fisticuffs.
The empowerment program was billed to witness the distribution of money, motor cycles, tricycles and sewing machines.
After the initial pleasantries by party leaders and office holders, the stage was set for the occasion to begin. The first hand out was money packaged in envelopes for beneficiaries.
Names were reeled out from a list and those called stepped out to collect their largesse.
After the end of the first session, Chief Alex Egbuna openly raised objection to the list that was used alleging that the names from his Ward had been tampered with.
CrossRiverWatch gathered that the Chief of Staff and the Abi PDP Chapter Chairman had sent names of ‘deserving’ beneficiaries from their ward Ekereku, to Hon. Ewa but on arrival at the occasion, the names that were called as beneficiaries were different from those that the duo had penciled to benefit.
Obviously seeking intervention from other dignitaries on the high table which included Hon. John Eno Owan, member of the House of Representatives, the State Chairman of PDP, Ntufam John Okon, National Financial Secretary of the PDP, Elder Bolaji Anani, Executive Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Council, Chief Ubi Itam Ettah, and Hon. Eko Atu, who were all seated, Chief Egbuna repeatedly said, “Bassey what is this? Please let the right thing be done! Let the right thing be done. I cannot sit down here and be insulted like this and nobody is seeing that something is wrong…”.
While Hon. Ewa, hitting severally at the Chief of Staff’s shoulder, urged him to relax. “Alex, cool down, sit down Alex, what is your problem Alex?
Hon. Ewa later called his driver who came and took instructions and went to bring money to be given to the persons that were allegedly excluded from the list.
The second set of beneficiaries were to get tricycles and another list of beneficiaries was been read when the Chief of Staff again hopped on his feet, this time more forcefully asking that the right thing should be done. He yelled on that he was not going to accept it anymore if the right thing was not done.
Hon. Ewa again kept hitting at the Chief of Staff’s shoulders a few times and then slapped him.
The Chief of Staff immediately responded with his own attempt to slap Hon. Ewa while the rest of the high table tried to restrain the two from further assaulting themselves.
The uproar led to confrontation between supporters of both politicians and security operatives had to intervene and the Chief of Staff was immediately whisked away from the event.
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