Tragic Death Of Journalist Nweze: Intersociety Appreciates Worded Solidarity From Anambra Govt., Appeals For Its Assistance In His Funeral And Children’s Education
…calls for increased voters’ turnout, credible voting and result in Nov 8 Anambra Governorship Election
…wishes Governor well and good luck in his second term bid
…restates that Old Aguata subzone remains ‘the primus inter pares’ in Anambra governorship seat
Intersociety, Awka: 14/10/2025The leadership of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (https://intersociety-ng.org) wishes to appreciate the Government of Anambra State led by Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the Governor for recent expression of worded solidarity extended to the Family of Journalist Alphonsus Ejiofor Nweze who tragically lost his life in an unfortunate road accident that occurred at Abraka Junction in Asaba, Delta State. According to our findings, seasoned Journalist Nweze met his tragic death on his way to his residence located in Asaba in the evening of Tuesday, Oct 7, 2025, having been involved in a road accident in an Onitsha Niger Bridgehead-loaded commercial bus conveying commuters to their various locations in Asaba. The bus was said to have lost break, forcing it to collide with a heavy duty vehicle which rested on the passenger side of the bus where Journalist Nweze seated and by the time the heavy duty vehicle was separated from the bus, Journalist Nweze had already exhausted his breath, leading to his death and injuring of the driver. Sadly, Journalist Nweze happens to be the only life lost.
Shocking also was the fact that Journalist Nweze had defied a heavy downpour of the day and decided to try his journalist luck by making it to his Onitsha Old Market Road office in search of ‘daily bread in cash’ to support the basic upkeep of his four school children, including two of his daughters schooling at the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in the Department of Human Anatomy and the University’s School of Law. Late seasoned Journalist Alphonsus Ejiofor Nweze, 60 years of age, hailed from Okka, Itchi Community in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State and was married to Mrs. Chioma Alphonsus Nweze, 47 years of age and a businesswoman. Their marriage was blessed with four children; namely, Oluebubechukwu Alpho Nweze, Somtochukwu Alphonsus Nweze, Ajuluchuwu Alponsus Nweze and Munachi Alphonsus Nweze. Seasoned Journalist Alphonsus Ejiofor Nweze was a hardworking journalist who started his career in Lagos in the 90s from where he was posted to Anambra State as Champion Newspapers reporter. He was a builder and great friend of the famous and fearless Anambra Human Rights Community that checkmated and fought against human rights abuses and enemies of rule of law and democracy, particularly from 1998 to 2006 and beyond; even till his tragic death last week.
We hereby appeal to the Government of Anambra State to match its recent expression of solidarity with action by assisting his family during his funeral and coming to the aid of his wife and children especially in areas of their upkeep and education including hostel rents, feeding, study materials and school fees.
Intersociety also seizes this opportunity to call for increased voters’ participation and turnout in the State’s November 8, Governorship Poll. Beyond INEC’s recent information indicating that ‘2,8m registered voters are eligible to vote in the poll, the Commission must also transparently give a further breakdown showing those with permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) and those not given. This is in addition to the LGA, Ward and Polling Unit breakdown of the PVC holders. Also, how many certified Polling Units are there in Anambra State designated for the poll? Are there LGAs or Electoral Wards and Polling Units where voting will not take place as a result of insecurity and other unsafe conditions? Are there still ‘Flying Polling Units’ in the State or any part thereof? We are also calling for credible, popular and secured voting and ‘living results’.
Finally, it is not only that we are wishing Governor Charles Soludo well and good luck in his second term bid, in spite of his governance mistakes spotted here and there especially his ‘verbal excesses at public functions’, unbecoming of a professorial Governor and internationally civilized person; it remains our firm position that it is the inalienable right of ‘the Old Aguata People’ and their sub-zone within the Anambra South to democratically govern Anambra State for a minimum of four years or maximum of eight years. This is line with the ‘State’s Charter of Equity, clearly constitutionalized in Section 14 (4) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, forbidding domination of governance of any State and distribution of its human and material resources by a particular section or district of such State.
While it is also the right of the ‘Nnewi sub-Zone’ with the Anambra South to vie for the Governorship seat in the current arrangement, it must be stated that going by political power arrangements in the State since May 29, 1999, the Old Aguata Zone ‘remains the primus inter pares’. In other words, out of the Anambra South District’s three sub-zones of ‘Ihiala/Ekwusigo’, ‘Nnewi’ and ‘Old Aguata’, and after Anambra Central and Anambra North must have taken their next turn, the Old Aguata People or sub-zone must allow the two other sub-zones in Anambra South to take their turn in order of precedence, bearing in mind that between 1999 and 2003, the Ihiala/Ekwusigo sub-zone took the first shot. Governor Soludo is therefore strongly urged to publicly talk less and doing more in office as time is not on his side especially if he wins a second term after the Nov 8. As a matter of fact, time is of extreme essence on his governance side!
Signed:
For: International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety)
/s. E. Umeagbalasi
Emeka Umeagbalasi, MSc.
Criminologist, Researcher and Head
International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law
/s. C. Udegbunam,
Chidinma Udegbunam, Esquire
Human Rights Lawyer/Head, Dept. of Campaign and Publicity
International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law
/s. O. Obi
Ogochukwu Obi, Esquire
Deputy Head, Dept. of Int’l Justice and Human Rights
International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law
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