Count me out of your troubles, Benue dep speaker tells Rep Agbese

The Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Lami Danladi Ogenyi, has asked the deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, to count her out of his troubles.

Mrs Ogenyi, in a statement by her Press Secretary, Agbaji Samuel Atsonwu, on Tuesday, dissociated herself from an alleged assassination attempt on Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State.

Agbese had allegedly said that preliminary investigation fingered Mrs Ogenyi in the assassination attempt on the grounds that the deputy speaker’s official vehicle was found with one of the suspects.

He said the attempt on his life was perpetrated in Igumale, where he went to share Easter packages to his constituents.

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But the statement from the office of the Benue deputy speaker indicated that in the wake of the alleged assassination attempt on Agbese, eight people: Peter Gilbert, Pius Aboh, Awuru Sunday, Gabriel Ojoko, Paul Ochigbo, Yusuf Ajibo, Cyril Egwu and Daniel Odoh, were remanded in prison by a magistrates’ court in Makurdi after they were arraigned by the police.

It said that the scripted game by Agbese and his camp was an attempt to put a dent on the deputy speaker, hence that he did not wait to give room for proper police investigation before the allegation.

The statement read in part: “Hon Lami Danladi Ogenyi is a law-abiding and peace-loving Nigerian whose integrity has never been questioned before and will never get involved in any act capable of ruining her reputation.

“The arraignment of the suspects allegedly involved in the assassination attempt on Agbese by the police prosecuting officer without due investigation and presenting the public with evidence of the claims goes to show just how much Agbese desperately wants to witchhunt those who he ought to represent and protect in a positive light.

“Among other allegations, the young men were charged for possession of firearms. However, up till now, the police is yet to make available for public consumption the firearms recovered from the suspects as is customary. This has raised another serious concern and questions over the entire story.

“Hon Lami Danladi Ogenyi hates injustice and oppression and will not be quiet when and where evil is being perpetrated, hence her rebuttal on the unverified claim by Agbese.

“We believe the judiciary, being the last hope of the common man and the instrument for the interpretation of the law, will do due diligence and prove itself once more as the last hope of the common man.”