FERDINAND DOZIE NWANKWO, A PURVEYOR OF THUGGERY AND HOOLIGANISM

The contest of the Senate seat of Anambra Central Senatorial District has since time immemorial been keenly contested but never in history had there been this level of violence and display of hooliganism by a candidate who is seeking to occupy the exalted office.

Hon Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo, the Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has in his desperate bid to represent the good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District shown that he is indeed a man of dishonorable character. The Enugwu-Ukwu born Rep member has thrown caution to the wind, deploying voilent and destructive measures against supporters of other candidates. Recent incidents have shown that Hon Nwankwo is out to cause mayhem on the lives of the people.

On January 7, 2023, during the 65th Igu Aro festival of HRM Igwe Ralph Ekpeh, Eze Enugwu-Ukwu na Igwe Umunri, Dozie Nwankwo ordered his henchmen to beat up a protocol officer of the palace who simply tried to stop them from making a violent entrance into the festival arena. At the event, Nwankwo and his men, intimidated by the presence of the Senator Uche Ekwunife at the occasion also fought and injured one of Ekwunife’s supporters by name Anika Stanley, popularly known as Udala Umunri, leaving the young man with a damaged and bleeding nose.

Hon Nwankwo and his erratic thugs have also destroyed several banners and signposts belonging to the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District and PDP Senatorial Candidate, Senator Uche Ekwunife. Notable amongst which include, the removal of a signpost in Urunnebo village Enugwu-Ukwu, the burning and destruction of another signpost at Orji/Avomimi village Enugwu-Ukwu, amongst others.

On the 12th of January 2023, one of Senator Ekwunife’s supporters erecting a banner for the Senator was brutalized and beaten up by Dozie Nwankwo’s thugs leaving him bleeding from several parts of his body.

Few weeks ago, a league of Dozie Nwankwo’s thugs harassed construction workers engaged by Senator Ekwunife to rehabilitate the road opposite Obu Umunri palace beside Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu market. On this incident, Hon Nwankwo hired thugs to chase away the workers on site and take over the project. The construction workers scampered for safety and barely escaped with their lives.

Hon Nwankwo, unsatisfied by his already caused destruction also orchestrated the destruction of the billboard, Chief Arthur Obi Nwandu erected for Ekwunife in front of his palatial home in Avowu village Enugwu-Ukwu. The billboard which is estimated to cost over N300,000 was stripped in the thick of the night by Dozie Nwankwo’s henchmen.

Several Senator Uche Ekwunife’s supporters in Enugwu-Ukwu and other communities are being harassed and threatened by Dozie Nwankwo and his men. One of Senator Uche Ekwunife’s supporters in Enugwu-Ukwu, Chief Ben Okoye (Uchumuluaku) has confirmed the receipt of several threats by Nwankwo’s assailants.

In reaction to these series of ugly incidents, Senator Uche Ekwunife had in a letter dated, January 13, 2022, petitioned the Traditional Ruler of Enugwu-Ukwu, HRM Igwe Ralph Ekpeh, urging the Monarch to call Dozie Nwankwo to order. Ekwunife in the 15 paragraph letter told the traditional ruler that Hon Nwankwo has instigated his supporters to be law breakers. She narrated the incident of 2011 when Hon Dozie Nwankwo mobilized thugs and assasins who invaded her country home, attacked her security man with machets and left him half dead, broke into her house and destroyed her properties on discovering that no one was inside. The incident happened after Senator Ekwunife defeated Dozie Nwankwo in the Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia House of Representatives seat contest.

Ekwunife who has also petitioned the security agencies and state government has vowed to take lawful and stringent measures to ensure order in her Senatorial District and forestall further attacks by Hon. Dozie Nwankwo and his thugs in the Senatorial District.