The Imo state government has accused Nigerian musician, Charles Oputa better known as Charly Boy or Area Fada, who is the convener of OurMumuDonDo Movement, of been used by the enemies of President Buhari and Governor Rochas Okorocha, the Imo State governor, to disrepute the administrations of both men.
A statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State governor, Sam Onwumeodo, alleges that Charly Boy was contracted by Governor Okorocha’s opponents way back in 2014 and that he launched his attack on the governor at the burial of his father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Onwumeodo said that the attack came after Charly Boy had received financial support from the government for the burial of the late jurist and after the state government had built a road leading to his father’s compound as well as a High Court Complex named after the jurist.
“Charly Boy personally came to Government House to collect. But before the burial, they told him that the former President had directed that he should not allow Governor Okorocha to talk at the burial service, not minding that protocol demanded that the governor should talk. Acting on the script given to him, Charly Boy snatched the microphone from a sitting governor, who came to honor his late father and who also gave money for the burial. He did that to satisfy Governor Okorocha’s opponents and see whether that could help them in the 2015 election,” the statement read
On the demolition of the popular Eke Ukwu market which has generated a lot of controversies, the state government alleged that Charly Boy in support of the enemies of the governor, has been making uncomplimentary comments about the Okorocha administration.
The government accused Charly Boy of joining forces with political opponents of the governor to politicise the death of a 10-year-old boy, Somto Ibeanusi, who was killed by a stray bullet during the demolition of the market.
“He deceived some notable Human Rights people like Professor Chidi Odinkalu into coming to Owerri over the relocation of Ekeukwu Market without such innocent figures knowing he was recruited since 2014 against Governor Okorocha. He looks for every opportunity to malign the governor. The demolition was on Douglas Road and the boy died at Mbaise Road by Wetheral Road, and nobody has proved us wrong over this claim. We have also claimed that the boy must have died following the clash between some hoodlums and cultists, who clashed that day around the area the boy died while they were going to Ama-Hausa to loot after they had been prevented from looting around the relocated Ekeukwu Market,” the statement read
He added that he expected that anybody interested in knowing how the boy died would have insisted on an independent autopsy outside what the government and the Police are already doing. The failure to demand an independent autopsy, he said, is because Mr. Okorocha’s opponents know the truth and are employing blackmail as a tool.
On President Buhari, the state government alleged that Charly Boy was also contracted to become the face of an insensitive movement that called for the resignation of President Buhari when he was in the UK receiving medical attention for an undisclosed ailment.
“It is important to ask Charly Boy where he was for the 16 years the previous administrations mismanaged the fortunes of this country. And they have so greatly empowered him that today, he moves in lengthy convoy with not less than 15 assorted jeeps with an avalanche of security aides who look overfed,” said the Imo State governor’s spokesman.
