Posted by Samuel on Sat 21st May, 2022 - tori.ng
Chiene said on Friday that his family had intervened in the assault he suffered and had asked him to stop granting interviews on the issue.
Chimaroke Nnamani, a former Enugu State Governor and serving senator, has said that a former Chairman of the Enugu South Local Government Area, Chiene Chiene, was “swooped upon” during a political meeting because he attempted to collect a rifle from security operatives.
But Chiene told SaharaReporters on Friday that his family had intervened in the assault he suffered and had asked him to stop granting interviews on the issue.
"My father said I shouldn't talk to the press further about the incident since I am still alive," he said.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported on Tuesday, how the former governor, Nnamani, with his thugs allegedly assaulted Chiene on Sunday when he consulted with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, delegates at the Enugu North Council Secretariat.
But Senator Nnamani in a statement from his Media Office on Friday denied the incident, saying that he never attacked anyone at the meeting.
In the statement, titled “Senator Nnamani did not attack anyone", the media unit said that Nnamani actually averted the escalation of what happened that day.
The statement read, “The scheduled meeting with party delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the two local governments of the state was held at the open arena in the council secretariat of Enugu North Local Government Area on Sunday evening.”
A statement issued by his office said that the senator on arrival at the venue of the meeting went round to greet the delegates.
On getting to the pavilion where many delegates were already seated, there was an altercation between a group of suspected thugs and security operatives attached to the senator over their attempt to break into the security ring around him.
"A scuffle ensued when the former chairman of Enugu South local government area of Chiene I. Chiene confronted the security men and reportedly held the rifle sling of a DSS operative. Other security operatives swooped on him in an attempt to retrieve the rifle, as the former council chairman dared them to shoot.
"Any further escalation was however averted by the frantic intervention of Senator Nnamani who appealed to all parties for calm.
"Calm was restored; the meeting with the delegates followed shortly, with the senator rendering an account of his stewardship in the upper legislative chamber, while soliciting their support in the forthcoming PDP senatorial primary, as the delegates cheered him.
"The delegates were also addressed by Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo representing Enugu North/South federal constituency, the council chairmen of Enugu North/Enugu South LGAs, state legislators from the two councils and party leaders. Notwithstanding, the DSS reportedly invited Hon Chiene in their bid to establish the facts of the incident," the statement read.