A front line Abia 2023 gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Gen. Ijioma N. Ijioma (retd) has issued a 72 hours ultimatum to his counterpart, Sir Chikwe Udensi over an alleged defamation.
Udensi had alleged that Ijioma contrary to his claims of being forcefully retired, was dismissed from the Nigerian Army.
Udensi while featuring on Love Fm programme “Open Parliament’ on Wednesday, May 11, said Ijioma used maligning words on him, alleging that he was involved in some irregularities.
According to Udensi, investigations he made in a bid to know the personality of Gen. Ijioma, revealed that he was dismissed from the Army.
” I reached out to the Nigerian Army, and I was a bit surprised to find out that he was dismissed in 2016 and the reports of the military council on his dismissal is not very palatable; in due course i will make it public” Udensi stated.
Responding on the same programme on Thursday, monitored by All Facts Newspaper, Gen. Ijioma maintained that the Nigerian Army unduly retired him and others in 2016, a move he vehemently opposed in court.
“A dismissed officer will not be entitled to emolument, pension, gratuity and all other allowances” Ijioma stated.
He further said;
“consequent upon this retirement, and because I was not due; I was due by June 2019, and this retirement was done in June 2016; I challenged this retirement in court and the court gave me the judgement which was not appealed.
“I was forcefully retired and not dismissed; where Chikwe Udensi got dismissal, and the army council he is citing; he is going to come to prove it because this is the authority of my retirement as you have heard.
“For an aspirant to come on air, trying to mislead the public is something serious. I thought that the era of political mudslinging is over; but to people like him who thinks that its business as usual, I challenge him to come on air and read that letter from an army council that dismissed me because it’s a serious allegation.
“He (Udensi) should do the needful within 72hours to come here and openly apologize to me for this lies he has told. I challenge him to come to this studio and make that open apology so that he will avert some consequences that goes with libel and untruth.”
He explained that the processes of paying him his entitlement are on the table, adding that it took 3 years for the court to give a verdict after he challenged his illegal retirement in court which he won.
He advised Udensi to carry out expected political activities and not try to pull another down.
Ijioma further revealed that on April 29 while he was dressing up to continue his LGA tour to Arochukwu, Udensi called him on phone requesting for partnership.
“Now the partnership he is proposing to me is for me to drop my governorship ambition, and go for senate while he goes for governor because he has stayed long in the party… he said if I agree to his proposal, a member of the National Working Committee will call me to seal the deal.
“I told him, look my friend I will not pursue that further am not partnering with you or any other person. I saw the senate form before purchasing the governorship form. I told him, since you said you are a seasoned politician, you will be a better senator than me but I know that I will be a better governor than you” Ijioma said.
Recall that Ijioma on April 28 started tour to the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State as part of his consultations for his governorship ambition.
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