Family of PDP Woman Leader Burnt Alive In Kogi Unveil Foundation In Memory Of Deceased.
.... Cries Out To Government, International Community For Justice.
The family of late Hon. Mrs Acheju Abuh, a woman leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi state on Wednesday put together a Candlelight remembrance and official unveiling of a foundation "Salome Acheju Abuh Foundation" in memory of her.
Picture by Editor MediaOrchid
Present at the unveiling were, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP Hon. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Hon. Kola. Ologbondiyan National Publicity Secretary of the PDP at the One year remembrance and unveiling of Salome Acheju Abuh Foundation. (Picture taken by editor MediaOrchid)
Ologbondiyan while Speaking at the one year remembrance said,
"Late Salome Acheju Abuh is a metaphor that must not be forgotten."
Video: Editor MediaOrchid
Others present at the One year remembrance were Engr. Musa Wada, the Governorship Candidate for the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) in the November 2019 election in Kogi state.
Engr. Musa Wada with family at the one year remembrance and unveiling of Salome Acheju Abuh Foundation in FCT Abuja (Picture taken By Editor MediaOrchid)
MediaOrchid recalls that Late Salome Abuh the erstwhile Ochadamu Ofu Local government area PDP Woman leader was attacked during the November 2019 Governorship election in Kogi state by hired thugs alleged to be loyal to the ruling party and burnt alive in her matrimonial home in Ochadamu, Ofu LGA for gallantly delivering the entire ofu LGA a supposed stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to her Party the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Elder Simeon Babani Seidu Abuh, ( JP) the widower while speaking at the unveiling of the Salome Acheju Abuh Foundation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja in a heart touching address said,
A picture of late Salome Acheju Abuh's husband with children.
" My Wife was our mother, a grassroot politician, mobilizer and community leader of repute. She was an outstanding Woman Leader for the PDP in Kogi State, since the early years of her political career.
" My wife Staked her neck for the party, delivered her local government area in the midst of political Tigers and Lions in almost all. Elections - State and National, including that of the Kogi State Governorship election of the 16th November, 2019.
" Her doggedness, forthrightness and achievements could not be tolerated resulting to her being marked for that abomination, a cruel act..... She was burnt alive maliciously her own matrimonial house, a cruel death on active political service to our fatherland be better imagined than to be real.
Speaking on the actions taken so far, Elder Abuh revealed that he had written a petition to his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, copied her Excellency, Dr. Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (a woman) the Senate President, the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Hon. Minister of Women Affairs (a woman), Hon. Minister of Humanitarian & Disaster Management Affairs, (a woman), Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, among others, and had appealed for justice to prevail over the cruel murder of his wife and loss of their homes and properties.
He stressed that they had very simple prayers which is that the president should
i. graciously ensure a sincere and comprehensive investigation with a view to ensuring that justice prevails, no matter who may be involved, including the sponsors of the dastardly acts;
ii. treat their homelessness as an emergency; by resettling ; and reconstruction of burnt houses and those of key PDP members in Ochadamu
iii. Compensate the family for their loses, to justify late Salome Abuh's Rights to 'Life and Association.'
He lamented that till now nothing has been heard from all mentioned and petitioned above and that the family has however further instructed their lawyers who have instituted a suit at the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Against the Federal Government of Nigeria for the failure of the Government to provide adequate security for us in the face of the treats during the November 2019 Governorship election in Kogi state, her agencies responsible for providing security during a period like this, had ensured adequate security of lives and property.
Elder Simeon Abuh, took the time to painfully recount the some incidents that took place on November 16 2019 till November 18 2019 when the life of his wife was taken.
November 16th 2019 Election Day Incidence:
" On Saturday 16th November 2019,my wife and I headed to our voting Unit, (Ochadamu Primary School Polling Unit), Upon sighting us, a group of young APC boys led by Ocholi Edicha among whom was Zekeri Awalu and a host of others, accosted us chanting GYB 4+4,and that the Polling Unit was already delivered to APC. Ocholi Edicha boasted that he was going to deal with my younger brother, Gowon Abuh who is always a PDP Agent at that Polling Unit, asking whether we don't know that he (Ocholi Edicha) and his boys were on the payroll of GYB 4+4 Zekeri Awalu also stated that they had the backing of the Agenyi (Musa Etu, a beaded Chief, who claims the ownership of Ochadamu) even though with an appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, over the issue.
" I politely told them that there was no need for such threats as we are all brothers, who drank from the same flowing river, with common playing ground in the community and we shall still remain in the same community, Politics notwithstanding, Zekeri Awalu added, if not because of the respect they have for some of us as elders and our contributions to the community, they would delivered Agenyi 's message to us during this election. Ocholi Edicha interjected by saying that the election is for the APC and there was nothing that anyone could do about it as heads were marked to roll with the Agenyi and GYB 4+4 backing them.
" We headed to our voting point after the threats by these young men. I casted my vote and went home, leaving my wife behind to watch the voting process being a party leader. As I took my leave I heard Shaibu Baba Odoma, one of the APC stalwarts, telling Ocjoli and his group that in the unit, anybody could be brought down, no matter who, stressing that this government belongs to them..... Let's heads roll but the unit should be delivered. My younger brother returned shortly panting and informed us that at one of the young men Ocholi Edicha was physically assaulting my wife and even tried to stab my younger brother for trying to stop him while he was still talking, my wife was brought home on a motorcycle by a family friend and advised we take her to the hospital (Holy memorial hospital Ochadamu) where she was attended to by the doctor on duty. My wife later narrated how one Iyawo Baba Odoma (Shaibu Baba Odoma's mother) pointed her out thrice to the group of boys who immediately confronted my wife and pounced on her. My wife was instructed by the doctors to be on bed rest so I prayed with her, further advised she adheres to doctors instructions and take days to rest while I headed back for Abuja.
On Monday 18th November 2019:
" I received a call at about noon that there was trouble at home. That Ocholi Edicha and some of his boys were in a drinking joint, close to our house and boasting of how they were going to deal with some key PDP leaders starting from Gowon the woman leader who narrowly escaped from their attack on Saturday, 16th November 2019. According to information, Solomon, Gowon's son was on his way from an errand was accosted by Zekeri Awalu who even made to attack him with a bottle. Solomon who took to his heels was pursued by Zekeri who missed his steps and fell on a knife which no one even knew was strapped to his own waist injuring his thighs.
" I immediately placed calls home. I also called one Ojonugwa Alhasaan and Omika Egbunu Ayo both indigenes and residents of Ochadamu. They updated me saying that first aid treatment was been given to the injured young man however, the hospital insisted on getting a police report first before further treatment could be given. While the doctors were awaiting the police report, friends of Zekeri moved him to another hospital where he gave up the ghost while been attended to. "
" APC thugs that were invited to Ochadamu by Shaibu Baba Odoma began shooting sporadically in the air while chatting GYB 4+4 headed towards our house, where my wife was resting unaware of all the happenings. They surrounded the house, defied cries from my wife and kept shooting terrified she kept crying out from inside. They set the houses on fire, burnt my wife alive and completely burnt down 4 houses in our compound : 5-bedrooms (fully furnished), 4-bedrooms (fully furnished), and 2-bedrooms (fully furnished) with 5th house, made inhabitable, accomplishing their mission planned on Saturday, unknown to my peace loving wife. "
Elder Abuh further revealed that, the thugs headed for the homes of four other PDP stakeholders, about half kilometer away from his house, looted and burnt down their houses too.
He stressed that the police has the names of the Perpetrators and demands that all men be unmasked before Nigerians.
He said,
" Finally I wish to put on record that the attack on my wife on Saturday 16 November 2019 was a premeditated one and was carried out and perfected on Monday 18th November 2019 while she was home resting. Let me make it clear that it was not a case of retaliatory or reprisal attack as insinuated by some powers that be misinforming members of the public."
Elder Abuh in appealing to Nigerian government and the International community said,
" I passionately appeal to the @UN @UNWomen @EU_Commission, United States Agency for International Development, United Kingdom Agency for International Development, British High Commission,, African Union, Economic Community of West African States, Human Rights Commission, PDP Governors, and the PDP as a party (for whose cause she paid this Supreme price), Corporate / Humanitarian Organizations and Spirited Individuals note our homelessness and the agonizing situation which we are right now to come to our aid, to enable us own a dream home again, and to kindly impress on Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to address our prayers above, including :
i. Treat our homelessness as an emergency and rebuild our burnt down houses;
ii. Adequately compensate us (4 Children - all graduates :
- MSc,
- MSc Student
- One B. Tech. Maths. /Computer and One B. Tech Quantity Surveyor and me, the husband), for the gruesome murder of my wife by these " Unknown / Masked APC Thugs on 18 November, 2019,
iii. Ensure that the Perpetrators including their sponsors, are brought to book to serve as deterrent to avert future occurrence, not just in the Kogi state but in Nigeria at a large;
iv. Immortalize her name as political celebrity who paid a Supreme price for sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria, judging by cruel manner by which she was murdered (Burnt Alive) by Political party Thugs in her own house and the burning down of the family house ;
v. Impress on the Wife of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E Dr. Aisha Buhari in company for the Governors wives and notable female Politicians to show concern for a fellow woman politician for being faithful to her party in a country where woman ar me said to have a voice and calling for several affirmative in respect of Nigeria women.
Hon. Mrs Salome Acheju Abuh was until her painful death Woman leader for the PDP in Kogi State and had her first elective position as an Honorable Councilor in Ofu Local Government Council of Kogi State, between 2003-2007 and stood out as the only woman in among the contestants.
She was also special assistant on Grassroot matters to H.E Capt Idris Wada, the then Executive Governor of Kogi State. She also contested in the 2018 general elections for the state house of Assembly under the platform of the PDP and remained faithfully committed to the party which earned her a position in Wada / Arọ Campaign Organization.
Earlier she brought integrated support for Obasanjo (ISO), and diligently campaigned for Obasanjo / Atiku ; late Yar'adua whose running mate and Vice was Goodluck Ebele Jonathan ; Jonathan / Sambo and Atiku / Obi Presidential tickets respectively for Kogi state in particular.
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