“Release My Husband Now” – Wife of Detained Bende Politician Appeals to Deputy Speaker Kalu

Mrs. Ann Emenike-Okorie has appealed for the immediate release of her husband, Hon. Emenike Okorie, who was reportedly arrested by the Police following a petition linked to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

In an emotional statement titled “BEN KALU, RELEASE MY HUSBAND NOW! MY CHILDREN AND I NEED HIM”, Mrs. Emenike-Okorie said her husband is facing health challenges and was arrested without being allowed to continue his medication.

“My husband, Emenike Okorie, is a husband, a father, and a man who believes in truth, equity, and justice. Today, my children and I are appealing for his immediate release. He is currently facing health challenge, yet they arrested him without giving him opportunity to continue his medication. If anything happens to my husband Ben Kalu should be held accountable. We need him home. Our children need their father,” she said.

Mrs. Emenike-Okorie questioned the reason for her husband’s arrest, linking it to political differences and demands for accountability over a project in their community.

“What exactly is his offence? Is it a crime to demand accountability for the alleged N348 million Garri Processing Plant reportedly meant for our community, Umuhu Ezechi? Is it a crime to hold a different political opinion or oppose a third-term ambition?” she asked.

She further alleged that her husband has faced several threats from people she associates with Ben Kalu’s camp and expressed fear for his safety and well-being.

The wife of the former Deputy Transition Committee Chairman of Bende LGA maintained that her husband would not abandon his convictions due to intimidation.

“If anyone believes that the use of political influence or public office can force my husband into abandoning his convictions, then they do not understand the man I married. Emenike Okorie is not a man who abandons his principles because of intimidation,” she stated.

She directly appealed to the Deputy Speaker: “Ben Kalu, I am speaking to you today, not just as a concerned citizen, but as a wife whose heart is heavy and whose children are asking for their father. Please, release my husband now!”

“You may have political power, but my husband also has a voice, a conscience, and the constitutional right to express his views peacefully. Political differences should never become a reason to silence legitimate questions or intimidate citizens,” she added.

Mrs. Emenike-Okorie called on members of the public who believe in justice and rule of law to demand due process and her husband’s release.

“My husband is not alone. His family is waiting for him. His children need him. And I need my husband back home,” she said.

As at the time of filing this report, the office of the Deputy Speaker is yet to officially respond to the allegations.