The former Imo State chairman of defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) Chief Vitalis Ajumbe, is presently recuperating at Salvation Hospital, MCC/Uratta Road, Owerri, following the battering he allegedly received from a former governor of the state (names withheld). 

Narrating his ordeal to journalists yesterday from his sick bed, Ajumbe said the former governor owed him a lot of money that accrued from assignments he legitimately discharged for the former governor.

According to Ajumbe, who was also the former governor’s agent in the last governorship party primaries, the latter wrote a N500, 000 Fidelity Bank cheques that was dishonoured by the bank.

He said: “I first presented the cheque in Abuja and I was told that the account was dormant as the owner last operated it about two years ago and he used a discarded cheque for the transaction.

“I insisted on seeing the branch manager and he repeated what the officers in the banking hall told me.”

The aggrieved politician said on his return to Owerri, he met the former governor at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, stressing that instead of being sorry for giving him a dud cheque, the former governor asked him to go to Owerri Branch of Fidelity Bank.

Ajumbe said: “The story was the same when I presented the cheque in Owerri. I decided to lodge the cheque in my personal account with FCMB Owerri. This cheque was returned unpaid.”

He alleged that the former governor, thereafter, refused to pick his calls or return them, adding that he then scanned the returned cheque and sent it to him by e-mail.

Ajumbe said: “On getting this mail, hell was let loose. He called and insulted. His reason was that unauthorized persons could access the mail and use it for sinister purposes.”

Peace meeting

Chief Ajumbe mentioned a number of prominent personalities he complained to, adding that when the former governor eventually invited him to his guest house in Owerri, he did not only tell a number of his friends about the invitation, but also took two of his relations along.

His words: “Midway into the supposed peaceful discussion, the former governor became very angry and hit my chest with a wooden tray.

“Not satisfied with the act, he picked an iron rod and hit my head with it. I started bleeding profusely. I stood up to go and he ordered his security men to lock the gate, which they did.”

He said the former governor and his aides started pouring water on him, possibly to erase evidence, adding that when the former governor noticed that he was determined to leave, he offered N50, 000 for medical expenses.

Efforts to reach the former governor on his phone lines for his side of the story failed as they were all switched off.

However, the former governor’s younger brother (names withheld) was forthcoming.

He said he heard the story, but added that “some elements of blackmail have unfortunately crept into the whole thing.”