From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, David Ikonne reportedly brutalized the Head of Department; Works of the council, Mrs Chidinma Nwanosike which allegedly led to her hospitalization.
Abia State President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ikechi Nwaigwe who confirmed the incident said the woman told them that the Chairman accused her of sabotaging his administration and before she could say anything, he physically assaulted her with planks and pipes.
Nwaigwe said it took the intervention of other workers to restrain the chairman from inflicting further injuries and pains on the woman.
Sources within the Council who wouldn’t want their names in print said the crux of the matter was that the Chairman tried to force the HOD to sign certain documents she felt would affect her job in the future, but instead of the council boss to issue her with a query at the worst, he decided to go physical, using objects on her.
Addressing journalists however at the Council Secretariat in Eziama, comrade Nwaigwe said the actions of the Chairman would be the last of such within the state.
“We got information that the Chairman of Abia North Local Government Area, Mr David Ikonne, brutally assaulted, Mrs Chidinma Nwanosike, the Head of Department Works of this Council, a woman for that matter.
“Of course I know that he has no reason to do that. So we came here in solidarity to ask him what happened, but unfortunately, he was not around.
“In our slogan, injury to one is an injury to all. Because the woman is a Director in the service and she knows the rules and must behave civilly. She may have not have done anything to attract the beating, the harassment and the maltreatment.
“Imagine beating a woman with planks and pipe? We have those pieces of evidence with us. The man has no reason to beat the woman to the extent that she’s currently hospitalized at where she’s receiving treatment.”
Nwaigwe said NULGE has taken action by shutting down Aba North Local Government Secretariat, which he said was a sign of the beginning of a total strike.
“We’ve already declared a strike in Aba North to avoid this issue degenerating to the issue of physical assault on our members. We want to save our members; therefore, every LGA worker in Aba North must remain at home for now.
“This became necessary because soon, you’ll see the Chairman with his boys coming here to start beating our members who have absolutely nothing to protect themselves with. We don’t want such again.
“Therefore, we demand that the LGA Chairman should be sacked. Without him being sacked, other LGA Chairmen will continue to do it.”
“We will remain on strike until we see what actions are being taken. We’ve also given the Governor of Abia State 48 hours to address this issue.
“If the issue is not addressed to our satisfaction, we have no option than to declare industrial action in all the 17 LGAs of Abia State to show the government that we are serious.”
As at the time of filing the report, all workers of the council have vacated their duty posts with all the offices under lock and key in accordance to the directives from the NULGE state president. The Aba North workers were before then joined in solidarity with their counterparts from the 17 local councils who were represented by NULGE executives from all the councils.
However, the embattled council chairman, Ikonne according to reports, while admitting he only confronted the woman on certain issues that have been slowing down development at the council, denied ever using woods or any other object on her.
Meanwhile, available information indicated that the Abia State House of Assembly has waded into the matter.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji was reported to have directed the Clerk of the House to extend invitation letters to the council chairman, NULGE state executive, the assaulted woman and other principal officers of the council to appear before the House for possible amicable resolution of the impasse.