A former Chairman of the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, Chijioke Ihunwo, has demanded an unreserved public apology from the immediate past Head of Service of Rivers State, George Nwaeke, over accusations he made against him regarding the alleged bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that Nweaeke, in a viral video, accused Ihunwo of being involved in the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
According to Nwaeke, the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara allegedly handed a bag of money to Fubara’s Chief of Staff (CoS), Edison Ehie, who was in Port Harcourt with two other individuals, including Ihunwo, for the operation.
However, Fubara and Ehie have denied these claims, calling them false and laughable and accusing Nwaeke of being financially compromised.
Reacting to the allegation, the former LG boss said failure to comply will lead him to take legal action against Nwaeke.
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Ihunwo, through his lawyer, Obidinma C. Obidinma, responded to the allegations in a Tuesday letter stating that Nwaeke’s defamatory remarks, which were widely broadcast on national television and published in newspapers, have severely damaged his reputation.
Ihunwo emphasized that “a reputation once damaged cannot be assuaged” and demanded a public apology within 48 hours.
Should Nwaeke fail to comply with the demand for an apology, Ihunwo warned that he would be forced to initiate legal proceedings.
He made it clear that the law would be fully utilized to address the damage caused by Nwaeke’s baseless accusations. Ihunwo’s letter calls for the apology to be aired on national television and published in three national newspapers to fully restore his reputation.
The letter reads, “Our client, the immediate past State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria Rivers State Chapter, a position he occupied until his subsequent appointment as the Caretaker Committee Chairman Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Chairman and election as the substantive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Rivers State.
“It is noteworthy that our client served the dear youths of Rivers State as their state chairman for close to five years unblemished, leaving behind a purposeful National Youth Council of Nigeria Rivers State Chapter, wherein several organizations both locally and internationally bestowed on our client several awards for his outstanding exemplary leadership qualities.
“That due to our client’s outstanding exemplary leadership qualities, the Governor of Rivers State Sir Siminalayi Fubara, appointed him as the Caretaker Committee Chairman Obio/Akpor Local Government Area for a period of three months again our client served the entire Obio/Akpor Local Government Council purposeful and unblemished wherein after the expiration of his tenure as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obio/Akpor council, the entire citizens voted him as the Executive Chairman Obio/Akpor Local Government Council and was subsequently sworn in as the said Chairman.
“That our client performed his duties exceptionally as Executive Chairman Obio/Akpor Local Government Area commencing from the day he was sworn-in, until the landmark supreme Court Judgment of February 28th, 2025, which set aside the election of all (23) twenty-three elected Chairmen of Local Government Council in Rivers State.
That our Client was seriously taken aback when you appeared on national television on the 28th day of March 2025 and made several allegations, wherein you categorically stated that our client was part of the persons who burnt down the house of assembly in your own language.”
