The stampede that occurred in Uke, Anambra State, resulting in the death of up to 30 worshippers was not caused by security aides of Governor Peter Obi as claimed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) but rather by a false alarm raised by someone yet to be identified, the Directorate of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha has said.<\/p>\n
APC had urged Nigerians to hold Governor Obi responsible for the tragedy, saying the stampede was caused by his presence at Holy Ghost Adoration Centre, Uke venue of the vigil with his favoured candidate for the Anambra governorship election, Willie Obiano, who is contesting on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).<\/p>\n
He was alleged to have stormed the church unexpectedly to campaign for Obiano and that when some of the members began to murmur against their unscheduled visit, his aide started the stampede in which many more were wounded.<\/p>\n
But according to the church, the unprecedented number of worshippers that night was probably because the church had a special celebration and not because the governor visited.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the early hours of Saturday, November 02, 2013, there was a stampede moments after prayers at the Holy Ghost Adoration Centre, Uke, in Idemili South LGA of Anambra State,\u201d spokesperson of the church, Rev. Fr. Uche Pius Ukor said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stampede, which occurred while people were going home, resulted in the loss of some lives. Some are still injured and receiving treatments in some hospitals. Vigil was usually held at the centre on every first Friday of the month. The crowd at the centre was unprecedented on this first Friday of November 2013 probably because it was the Solemnity of All Saints and a holy day of obligation for Catholic faithful.<\/p>\n
\u201cSave for the unprecedented crowd, the vigil started and ended normally. The stampede was reportedly caused by a false alarm raised by somebody in the crowd along one of the narrow roads out of the town. The crowd was so much that people wanting to leave all at the same time made it very difficult for people to find enough space to move. This happened in just one of the roads out of the town.\u201d<\/p>\n
The church commended the \u201ctremendous\u201d outpouring of concerns and support after the incident, adding that Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, is still deeply saddened by the ugly incident and has visited the dead in the morgue and the injured in the hospitals.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis heart goes out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the incident. He promises his closeness to them and all the faithful of the Holy Ghost Adoration Centre, Uke, and especially the Spiritual Director of the Centre, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, who is hard hit by the ugly incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cFull investigations have been launched into the matter and more efforts are being made to protect the lives of all worshippers at the centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Archdiocese of Onitsha remains very grateful to the many volunteers who swung into action immediately saving as many lives as possible. We also thank the management and staff of the various hospitals where the injured were sent immediately for treatment. They have been wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, APC claimed that Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi should be held responsible for the stampede because he turned a house of prayer into a house of politics, the All Progressives Congress (APC).<\/p>\n
In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party observed that \u201chad Governo Obi and the unpopular candidate he is seeking to impose on the people of the state, Willie Obiano, not gone to the praying ground to engage in wrongful politicking, the innocent souls who died at the vigil would be alive today.\u201d<\/p>\n
It argued that while there is nothing wrong with a state governor attending a vigil, such visit should not be impromptu in order for the organisers to make the necessary security arrangements, and it should also not be a licence to engage in political campaign.<\/p>\n
APC condemned the plan by Governor Obi to set up a panel to investigate the stampede, considering that the governor himself is at the centre of the whole tragedy.<\/p>\n
\u201cSetting up a panel to investigate the cause of the stampede will amount to seeking to be a judge in your own case. The only cause of the stampede is the governor’s ill-advised visit to the vigil.<\/p>\n
\u201cInformation at our disposal has it that the stampede was triggered by the governor’s overzealous security details, who manhandled congregants as their principal was exiting the venue of the vigil. The security details were said to have been irked by the murmurs of disapproval that greeted the governor’s attempt to campaign for his candidate, Mr. Obiano.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is therefore disingenuous for the governor’s spin doctors to be shifting the blame on the supporters of our candidate, Senator Chris Ngige. The simple truth is that there would have been no stampede if Governor Obi had not come to the vigil or, even if he had come, had not attempted to politicise the gathering that was meant strictly for prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The party asked Obi to take a cue from the disapproval that is trailing his desperate bid to impose a candidate on the state by ending all activities that can put the lives of Anambrarians at risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recall that an angry protest also greeted the attempt by the APGA campaign train, with Obiano in tow, to shut markets in Onitsha last month,\u201d the part added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe protests effectively short-circuited the APGA campaign. Had the governor and his entourage learnt their lessons from the Onitsha debacle, they would not have needlessly endangered the lives of the same people whose votes they are desperately but undeservedly seeking.\u201d<\/p>\n
APC said the candidacy of Obiano is not worth the blood and tears of the good people of Anambra, hence Governor Obi should stop trying to impose an unpopular candidate on the people.<\/p>\n
The party prayed that God would grant repose to the souls of the departed, while wishing all those injured a speedy recovery and the families of the victims the fortitude to bear their losses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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