A former chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, and a former chairman of South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya on Sunday March 28 allegedly attacked a former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha at the Sam Mbakwe International Airport.
According to reports, the traditional ruler who was on board Air Peace Airline en-route Abuja as Senator Okorocha, on sighting the senator, accused him of being the cause of his present day predicaments.
Okorocha, responding to the accusation, told him that he had no regrets removing him as the chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The oral challenge turned into a physical confrontation inside the aircraft as the monarch allegedly attacked Okorocha with his walking stick, shouting at him to stay away from him and the people of Orlu.
The clash was reportedly bridged as the flight captain and attendants intervened.
Ilomuanya continued to warn Okorocha to stay away from Orlu Senatorial District if he truly wanted peace to reign, while Okorocha calmly took another seat.
The monarch was dethroned by Okorocha on June 6, 2014 after being removed as the chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers.
He was however, reinstated by former Governor Emeka Ihedioha based on legal advice.
Meanwhile, Sam Onwuemeodo, media adviser to the senator, in a statement released, described the assault as “disgraceful, unfortunate, condemnable, embarrassing, ungodly, indecent and unexpected from someone who had led the state Council of Traditional Rulers.”
He warned politicians, who he said, were looking for favour from the state government, to stop dropping the name of the former governor.
“People like Ilomuanya have told themselves that the easiest way or method to adopt to achieve their aims or ambitions will be to insult or attack Okorocha, leveraging on the hostility of the government in the state now, against Okorocha and his family.
“If Senator Okorocha saw his brother, llomuanya and chose to sit close to him, that action should be highly commended and applauded. It showed that Okorocha had behaved not only as a Christian, but also as a statesman. It showed that he had nothing personal against llomuanya.
“Again, if llomuanya could confront Okorocha to the extent of hitting him with his walking stick and Okorocha did not retaliate but hastily relocated to another seat, we will only say that Okorocha has acquitted himself very well as a two term former of Imo State governor and now a sitting senator and a worthy ambassador of the state and the nation. He has shown character worthy of emulation” Onwuemeodo said.
