Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Though currently remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre by a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt over his threat of violence on election day, the member representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ephraim Nwuzi, is still being tipped by his supporters to contest and win in Saturday’s election.
In a chat with newsmen on Thursday, some of his supporters from Etche said nothing would stop them from participating in the election to exercise their franchise on Saturday.
They maintained that Ephraim Nwuzi has a right to contest the election despite his arrest since he remains the All Progressives Congress house of representatives candidate for the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency.
“At least he’s still the candidate and our party has not withdrawn him and we know they will not change him because he contested and won the primaries,” one of the supporters said.
They vowed to vote for him and expressed hope that he will win the election, citing his achievements as the reason why his people will support him.
“Honourable Ephraim Nwuzi has done a lot for his constituency. He has given many students scholarships; he has rebuilt many primary and secondary schools. This is a man who helps widows. He has done a lot and I can’t mention all of them. Etche and Omuma people know, and they will support him, whether he is around or not,” another supporter said.
The supporters maintained that Hon. Ephraim Nwuzi remains popular among his people because of his contributions to the development of the area.
They however appealed to the security agencies and the court to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that justice prevails at the end of the day, adding that the federal lawmaker may have been misunderstood and misinterpreted.
Meanwhile, a socio-political group, Etche/Omuma Progressives Initiative, in a statement signed by its leader, Comrade Hope Achonwa, Thursday, condemned the arrest and detention of Hon. Ephraim Nwuzi by the police, after raiding his house.
Describing the arrest and remanding of the federal lawmaker as unlawful, the group said it will not affect his chances of contesting and winning the election on Saturday.
The group, however, appealed to Nwuzi’s supporters to remain calm and law-abiding.
