By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ihiala, Ward 3, Umudike Uzoakwa, Ihiala, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Agafe Tochukwu Okeyika, have decried the neglect by the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the National chairman of the party, and others for lack of concern to his plight.

Okeyika, a delegate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), primary election who is now living in regret and feeling abandoned to his fate was said to have lost his car, a Toyota Corolla during the exercise held at the Ekwueme square in Awka on 5th April, 2025.

.According to him, his black Toyota Camry car, 2005 model, popularly known as Bank Model, with registration number: HAL749RF, engine number: 2NZ3793789 and chassis numbero: JTDBW22E800137540, was stolen where it was parked near the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Awka.

He said that despite concerted efforts, the vehicle is yet to be recovered one month after it was stolen, and no effort was made by the APGA government in Anambra for compensation.

Giving account of how his car got missing on the day of the party’s primary election, Hon. Okeyika said,

“I arrived at the Alex Ekwueme Square, venue of the primary election at about 10:30am that fateful Saturday, being April 5th. When I arrived, every parking space was almost filled up, so I parked opposite the Alex Ekwueme Square, between the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters and the headquarters of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB).

"At about 3pm when the event was over, I went to pick my car but did not see it. After a thorough search without success, I went to the B-Division police station in Awka, where I made a written report. Before I finished the report at the B-Division, it was almost 6pm. I waited for some time but nothing happened.

“Since then, I was writing almost on daily basis. First, I wrote to the chairman of APGA in Uzoakwa Ward 3, Mr. Izuchukwu Obianyia, who forwarded the letter to the Ihiala local government chairman of the party, then, to the state chairman of the party, Chief Ifeatu Obi Okoye. I also reported the matter to the Ihiala LG Mayor, Hon. Anayo Orjiakor, who I met as he was driving out when was searching for the lost car.

“I have a lot of regrets. If I were at the beer parlour and the car got lost, the story would have been different. I would have blamed myself. But in this case, I came for a primary election for the second term bid of our governor. I am one of the delegates duly invited to the function.

“Before I parked my vehicle, I saw a good number of security operatives guarding the vehicles. I trusted them, and believed they would take care of the vehicles parked there. But when my car was stolen under their watchful eyes, I regretted so much.

“I wrote to all concerned stakeholders concerning the stolen vehicle. I expected that by now, APGA stakeholders should have invited or approached me to know how I’m faring but nobody did so. I regretted that somebody who came for a state function with a private car went home without the car, and nobody cares to know.”

Hon. Okeyika, who said he is the Head of Operation of Special Duty Taskforce in Anambra Internal Revenue Service, Awka, said that he also wrote separate letter to the Chief of Staff at the Government House, another separate letter to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and another to the Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters; but that one month after the incident, that nothing has happened, and nobody asked him how he was doing without the car.