The tragic events surrounding the Okon-Aku communal crisis demand sobriety, restraint, and a collective commitment to truth. Sadly, what has emerged in recent days is a parallel narrative driven not by facts or public interest, but by sensationalism, misinformation, and political opportunism. At the centre of this troubling development is blogger Promise Uzoma Okoro, whose persistent attacks on the Deputy Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, has raised serious concerns about motive, ethics, and responsibility.

Rather than contribute meaningfully to peace-building or allow due process to run its course, Okoro has chosen a path of conjecture and inflammatory commentary. His writings and broadcasts repeatedly attempt to drag the Deputy Governor into narratives unsupported by verified evidence, despite the existence of a duly constituted Administrative Panel of Inquiry, chaired by a respected retired jurist, Hon. Justice Kenneth Wosu, currently investigating the matter. Such conduct amounts to an attempt to pre-empt justice and manipulate public opinion.

This approach is not only unprofessional; it is dangerous. In a volatile communal environment, reckless words can inflame passions, deepen divisions, and undermine fragile peace. It is therefore troubling that a commentator who is not directly rooted in the Okon-Aku community would persist in narratives capable of setting people against themselves, particularly in Ohafia, where unity and restraint are most urgently required.

A closer examination of this campaign reveals a pattern of politicisation. Having failed to secure electoral relevance in the 2023 general elections, Blogger Promise Uzoma Okoro and his paymasters now appear eager to reinsert themselves into public discourse through controversy and antagonism. The Okon-Aku crisis has, unfortunately, become a convenient tool for such calculated relevance-seeking.

The facts, however, remain clear and verifiable. The Deputy Governor’s intervention in Okon-Aku was lawful, preventive, and decisive. His actions contributed to the arrest of suspects, the medical evacuation of the injured, and the restoration of order. These outcomes are matters of record, not propaganda. Attempts to recast them as culpability reflect either a gross misunderstanding of events or a deliberate distortion of reality.

Equally troubling is the thinly veiled attempt to politicise the issue by portraying the crisis as a tool to weaken the Deputy Governor’s hard-earned reputation in the eyes of His Excellency Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, and the people of Abia, in the hope that Engr. Emetu will not be renominated in 2027. Such a strategy is as transparent as it is futile.

Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu’s political relevance is not manufactured by media narratives; it is anchored in performance, character, and service. An accomplished engineer, technocrat, and public servant, he represents a generation of leadership defined by competence, discipline, and institutional loyalty. His selection as running mate was no accident; Governor Otti recognized in him a partner who embodies competence, youthfulness,integrity, and a common vision for rebuilding Abia State.

Since assuming office, the Deputy Governor has demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the Governor and fidelity to the mandate freely given by Ndi Abia. His contributions to governance, youth engagement, conflict management, and intergovernmental relations have earned him goodwill across party lines, especially among young people who see in him a credible symbol of purposeful leadership.

No amount of media distortion can erase these realities. Attempts to sow discord between the Governor and his Deputy are not only doomed to fail but also underestimate the intelligence of Abians, who understand that governance thrives on trust, performance, and shared purpose, not on blog polemics or speculative motives.

Journalism remains a public trust. It demands balance, verification, and responsibility. When commentary degenerates into character assassination and predetermined conclusions, it ceases to be journalism and becomes propaganda. Abia State deserves better than noise merchants feeding off tragedy and tension.

To Promise Uzoma Okoro and his ilk; stop sacrificing truth for tokenism. The people of Abia, and indeed Ohafia, are watching. Truth does not need shouting; it endures. And when it finally stands as it always does, those who traded facts for fleeting attention will be left exposed.

Sir Cyril Chukwudi Eke Mba
Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Abia State
January 26, 2026