I Feel Abandoned By APC -Youth Leader Ambushed, Maimed During Ward Tour

By Cami Ezenwa

APC Youth Leader: An All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader ambushed, attacked and left for dead, during a ward tour has cried out for help

The Youth Leader,Francis Odum says he feels used and dumped at a time he needed help most.

A Political Science graduate of the University of Calabar, Mr Odum spoke amidst tears giving his worsening health condition, which has confined him to use of crutches with associated agonizing pains for years now..

In the course of the interview with The Eagle, he wondered why a party he had laboured much for, and on which national assignment he was when he was attacked could abandon him at such a critical moment of need.

His story is told in the following excerpts:

My name is Francis Odum, a native of Isokpo Ogbaku in Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo State, a foundation member of the All progress’s Congress (APC).

Role in the party As APC Youth Leader

I was the Financial Secretary and also the Youth Vanguard leader in my ward, Ogbaku Ward, Mbaitolu Local Government, and we were part of the Buhari/Osinbajo for Presidency campaign.

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I was also an APC Ward Coordinator for Ogbaku.and a campaign committee member in Mbaitolu.

 When did this accident that has now confined you to crutches happen?

During the 2015 election we were on Ward tour and it was mandatory that all the ward coordinators be part of the ward tour.

It was led by then governor, Rochas Okorocha. As of then, my vehicle was not in order and I had to take motorbike for the last leg of the ward tour to Mbieri.

After the campaign we had to settle down at Mbieri at the residence of one Honourable I.B Okafor

The Who-Is-Who of the party, including then Governor, Rochas Okorocha and his deputy, Eze Mmadumere was there.

Mr Francis Odum: Demobilised by a serious accident during an APC official assignment is crying out to the party leadership for help

It was about 9:30pm when the governor left

That was when we started heading back to our respective homes

My ward chairman was the one who was taking me home.

Everything happened around Amaike Mbieri, when some unidentified three persons double-crossed us in a bike.

They  hit our own bike and I fell  fell. They smashed and broke my leg, I was unconscious and couldn’t identify them . In fact my leg was torn into pieces, we suspected it was an opposition party that did the job.  They broke my left leg into five fragmented places.

I had five fractures, two at my pelvis  one at my laps and two downwards.

It was like putting the leg of cow and peacessing it

That night, some of the party leaders who were also coming back from the programme met me on the road lying on the ground.

On that bike, I was with, a party elder Eugene Asikaogu, but I was singled out.

They broke my leg and assaulted me.

But because it was dark, I could not identify them, and all I could hear was the sound of breaking bones.

My ward chairman who was driving the bike managed to run away and was shouting!; Mr Asikaogu was lying unconscious.

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It was other people coming back that carried us to a nearby bone setter and I was admitted there.

Subsequently, I cried out to the party for help, but honestly speaking, none of such help came despite being APC Youth Leader and having performed my duties on other position.  All I was getting were sympathy visits. No message officially came from the party considering my devotion to it

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