Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has recalled a dreadful night in which assassins came looking for him, attacked his house shooting two policemen dead.
Otti gave the recall while speaking at a programmme, “Abia Solemn Assembly and Covenant Renewal Service” in Umuahia, organised by the State Government.
“That night, assassins attacked my residence in Abuja, shot two policemen dead, and they were looking for me.
“Of course, God had taken me away,” he told those at the service which held under the theme: “Remembering the Covenant”.
This was in the July of 2015 after he had contested the Governorship Election.
The victory had been given to the People’s Democratic Party’s Governorship Candidate, Okezie Ikpeazu before Otti went to the tribunal to contest the result
He said that he was in Abuja trying to hold a meeting with someone, who repeatedly shifted the dates, until the meeting still did not take place.
“There was only one flight from Abuja to Owerri then.
“All my friends objected. I said, Well, I have received a message that I must leave Abuja.
“So, to make it make sense, I told them I wanted to be at the tribunal on Friday, so they grudgingly accepted.
“That night, assassins attacked my residence in Abuja, shot two policemen dead, and they were looking for me.
“Of course, God had taken me away,” he said.
Not done, the attackers had proceeded to searching the adjoining compound believing that he was still within.
“When they finished and couldn’t find me. They were convinced I was there.
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“They had so much time. By the way, this was Maitama.
“They jumped into the next compound, and I learnt that they were up to 12.
“They jumped into the next compound and stripped the whole building.”
Reflecting on the incident, Otti said there had been no obvious reason for him to leave Abuja at that particular time, but he believed that his departure was divinely directed.
“They thought I jumped first, but I left.
“There was no reason for me not to be there, but God had taken me away from there,” he said.
The governor also recounted how some friends tried to discourage him from entering politics, while others advised him to seek protection through traditional or other means.
“A lot of friends, after trying to dissuade me, found I couldn’t be dissuaded.
“They said, Okay, if you decided to do this thing, you can’t go in there empty-handed.
“You can’t go there without belonging to some societies.
“You can’t go there without going to some native doctors for protection, and you will be shocked at the kind of people that are making these suggestions, and some of them are leaders in churches.”
‘But then, I’m always reminded them about Joshua 24:15, where Joshua said to the Israelites that “If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you would serve,”‘, Otti narrated.
Cami Ezenwa is a Writer, Editor, Publicist, Biographer and Journalism Trainer
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