Nze Joe Muoghali, the Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Nanka Ward 1, Orumba North LGA, Anambra State, was brutally killed by masked assailants on Saturday night.
This horrific incident unfolded mere hours after Muoghali had convened a crucial meeting of YPP stakeholders in preparation for the upcoming rerun election in the Orumba North and South federal constituency.
Mass Grave Uncovered in Anambra
The Court of Appeal’s mandate for a rerun election in 13 polling units of Nanka Ward 1 heightened the political tension between Princess Chinwe Nnabuife of YPP, declared the initial winner of the February 25 National Assembly election, and her rival, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Expressing her devastation over the tragedy, Nnabuife revealed that she had instructed Muoghali to organize the stakeholders’ meeting following the court’s ruling.
Nnabuife said:
“We held the meeting on Saturday, after which we attended the wedding of an executive member of YPP in the same Nanka Ward 1. After that, I left.
“Barely one hour after I got home, I received a distress call that the party chairman was shot by some men wearing masks. I was told that before they fired at him, the assailants called him saboteur three times.
“He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately, he couldn’t make it. So, my question is, what is the fate of the people of Nanka Ward 1 as we prepare for the court ordered rerun election.
“Now that they have killed my party chairman, who knows their next target. With this scenario, how safe am I to go for the rerun in Nanka? And how safe are my party members and supporters in the area?
“I urge security operatives to wade into this matter immediately to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder and those behind this heinous killing of YPP chairman in Nanka.”
She described Nze Muoghali as a wonderful man and called for justice, urging that the perpetrators be brought to account for this barbaric act.
“While I want the rerun to be held as planned, I also want security operatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to know what I am up against ahead of the rerun.
“As it stands, I can’t even go to Nanka to campaign if I do not have soldiers and men of the DSS around me. But the question is, why are they afraid of me even in their village?
The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated unawareness of the incident.
