Leaders and stakeholders comprising prominent traditional rulers and political heavyweights in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State have flayed Dr Chuks Osuji and some others over what they described as frivolous media attacks on their revered son, immediate past Secretary to the Government of Imo State (SGS), Sir Jude Ejiogu.

The leaders recalled an article in which Osuji had allegedly written against Ejiogu, and threw banters at the people of Owerri Federal Constituency in a piece entitled, ‘Verily, verily, we may ask: Is there vacancy in Douglas House?’ They said that Osuji in the article called Ejiogu several unprintable names, but that his latest publication with the title, ‘Ndaa, Ndaa, without affection: Why?’ broke the camel’s back, hence the severe warning to him through the good people of his Mbaise extraction.

Three first-class traditional rulers and 11prominent political stakeholders bared their minds in a statement titled, ‘Enough of your insults on our son, Sir Jude Ejiogu: Owerri North leaders/stakeholders warn Dr Chuks Osuji and sponsors’. They expressed annoyance over the alleged media attacks, and “wondered why the writer thinks he could achieve the governorship ambition of his pay-master by attacking the emeritus Secretary to Government of Imo State on the pages of newspapers.”

According to the statement, “It is witty and brainless for Osuji to paint a scandalous, ridiculous and libelous picture on a golden and highly-prized image of the innocent, well-meaning and award-winning public servant.” The stakeholders opined that what the writer and his sponsors are doing amounts to putting a wrong price-tag on the person of Ejiogu, in order to score cheap political relevance, which they said died on arrival.

The Owerri North leaders noted: “We have received calls from well-meaning individuals about plans by some high-ranking officers of Owerri zone extraction serving in the ‘rescue mission’ administration to engage the services of some strange individuals to monitor movements, functions, and programmes of our son, Ejiogu, for unknown reasons. We also gathered that about N20 million has been set aside by the top government functionary to be shared among media establishments in the state and beyond, as take-off grants to launch media war against Ejiogu, since he is no longer in government.”

The leaders, therefore, observed that those behind the incessant and dastardly media attacks on Ejiogu see him as a political threat to their governorship ambition in 2019, saying: “His rising profile has outshined their weeping popularity hence they no longer have rest of mind, but have been thrown into sleepless nights, which made them to resort to politics of bitterness and rancour to regain their breath.”

The statement partly reads: “For the avoidance of doubt, Sir Jude Ejiogu has on many occasions made it clear that his primary objective is to do everything possible to make Imo better, which he demonstrated when he held sway as a public-office-holder, and will continue to do so. The general public should understand that while the writer, Dr. Osuji, condemned our son in his shoddy and blindfolded judgment in the article, he also applauded, projected and commended his master who has remained his major financier to malign the image of Sir Ejiogu on the pages of newspapers.

“To clear the air, Ejiogu is a man that likes identifying with people, interacting and accommodating individuals, no matter where the person comes from; he is down-to-earth, very articulate and peace-loving. As leaders and stakeholders of Owerri North LGA, we should not fold our hands and watch these power-mongers hiding under the cloak of a virtually impaired writer to smear the glaring image of our unquantifiable son. Hence, we suggest that sponsors of such fictitious publications using Osuji as a fall-guy should have attracted a little respect to themselves by toeing the path of truth rather than resorting to falsehood.”

•Photo shows Sir Jude Ejiogu.