From Mokwugwo Solomon, Awka
One Hon. Agafe Tochukwu Okeyika, of Umudike Uzoakwa, Ihiala, Ihiala local government area of Anambra state, who lost his car during the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) primary election that brought Soludo as flagbearer of the party, is currently regretting being part of the exercise.
Hon. Okeyika, one of the delegates of APGA’s governorship primary election, from Uzoakwa Ward 3, Ihiala LGA, lost his car on 5th April, 2025, at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, the state capital.
The vehicle: Toyota Corolla, 2005 Model, popularly known as Bank Model, black in color; 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.
Despite concerted efforts, the vehicle was not yet recovered one month after it was stolen, and no effort was made by the APGA government in Anambra to compensate the victim.
In an interview with our reorter, Hon. Okeyika gave an account of how his car got missing at the primary election venue.
“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 sometime 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.”
Hon. Okeyika, who said he is the Head of Operation of Special Duty Taskforce of Uhbet in Anambra Internal Revenue Service, Awka, also said that he wrote separate letter to the Chief of Staff at the Government House, another seprate letter to Governor Charles Soludo, and another to the Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters; but that after one month that the incident took place, nothing happened, and nobody asked him how he was doing without the vehicle.
“I have a lot of regrets,” he said. “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.”
