Festus Okoebor, an eyewitness has debunked reports indicting the Onojie of Uromi, His Royal Highness Anselm Aidenojie 11, traditional ruler of the Uromi Kingdom, to have physically assaulting one Mrs. Betty Okoebor.

HRH Anselm Aidenojie, Onojie of Uromi

According to him, “it gave me great concern to clear the air on recent happenings and to set the record straight as I was present at the scene which led to the crisis.

“We voted in Unit 8 and 9 of Ward 4, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State on that fateful day. Both booths are at the same location. As someone with strong political background, I was there not just to vote but to ensure that my vote counts.

“So, we were there casting our votes when we observed that some persons were issuing money to induce voters to vote for them. The situation became tensed and uncomfortable for the ordinary man who did not intend to sell votes.

“During that process, His Highness came in and said he received a call from somebody who said there were issues going on in that polling unit. Customarily, when the Onojie steps into a crisis, the people ‘sheath their swords’ as a mark of respect.

“As an Onojie, his priority is for the safety and security of lives. However, at that polling unit, both my brother and sister were the APC agents collating their data. The Onojie went straight to my brother (as his hand was on his shoulders).

“All of a sudden my sister was video-taping the conversation between His Highness and my brother Matthew Okoebor. When the Onojie saw the phone drawing near to him as my sister was video- taping him, infuriated by the act of insolence, he hit the phone targeted towards him.

“After that action, my sister was insulting the Onojie before we begged His Highness to leave the area, which he left. I was at the scene and there was no slapping of my sister as alleged by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

“After the incident, she went to plead with the Onojie for forgiveness, which the Onojie did forgive her and prayed for her right in the palace, because we were all present.

“But later on, we heard that the governor suspended the Onojie because of that act and then went ahead to depose His Highness, which to us is a sacrilege, disrespect to traditional leadership, because the Onojie by virtue of position is not appointed but hereditary and cannot be dethroned unless by death.

“Well, we don’t know what the former governor had in mind, but the issue is not quite clear to us because we had settled this crisis like a family and don’t understand the interest of the governor in this issue,” he added.