Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, in the last general election Mr. Peter Obi, led other members of the party to attend the funeral mass of the slain Labour Party member, who represented Onitsha 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Other top members of the party who attended the burial mass were Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central ), Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Emeka Idu (Onitsha North and South Federal Constituency).
Others are Pascal Agbodike (Ihiala Federal Constituency), Chief Chima Nzeibe, who also represented Ihiala Federal Constituency, former Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, and aspirant to the governorship sit under LP, Chief George Moghalu, Chief Valentine Ozigbo, LP governorship aspirant, and former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the state, Chief Oseloka Obaze.
Also in attendance were LP Anambra State Housman of Assembly members representing Onitsha South 1 and Onitsha South 2 Constituency, Fred Ezenwa and Jude Umennajigo respectively, and the deceased lawmakers counterpart in the Onitsha North 2 Constituency, Pat Okafor.
Other dignitaries who attended the burial mass were Speaker Anambra State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze, his deputy and other members of the Anambra State House of Assembly
Sermon
Delivering the sermon during the burial mass, the Vicar in charge of Onitsha Very Rev. Fr, Johnnosco Okafor said that God is the giver of life and only him has the right to take it.
He said that all the youths and people who are taking the life they did not create have missed the road and therefore need to repent, just as he urged the government to do more to protect lives and property of the people.
Soludo…
In his speech, the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, expressed sadness over the death of the lawmaker whom he described as not only a working partner, but his in-law.
He called on the family of the lawmaker, Onitsha community to take to bear the loss with fortitude, saying that his death is also a personal loss to him.
According to Governor Soludo, ”I am here as the Governor of Anambra State. What happened was an abomination
“It is still difficult for to believe it happened. Justice Azuka and I worked together. He supported the government. We are sad but we are saying that it will not happen again in this state.
“I want to use this opportunity to clear some misconceptions and rumors that sound like truth being peddled around the state and beyond that the kidnappers of Azuka withdrew N100 million from his account before the killed him.
“That information was wrong, is not true. Immediately we got the information that he was kidnapped, we ensured that we blocked his account.
“We are sad that Hon. Azuka died the way he did. It’s most painful but it has happened. The consolation there is that literally all the people involved in his death are with us in the custody.
“They murdered Justice and we will give them Justice, no two ways about it.
“We are so shocked the way to youths of these days are taking human lives.
“Many people have in the past been kidnapped and ransoms were paid and they were released. But youths of these day kidnap and kill their victims even when they have collected ransom.
“We must condemn what they are doing and it must stop, we will not allow them to continue the wickedness.
“Some people are condemning the security outfit we set up, and even calling me names but we don’t care about what they are saying.
“Anambra must be secured to be the most secured state in Nigeria. The people condemning the Agunechemba security are the people who celebrate those working with kidnappers and armed robbers who terrorist us.
“We are not against traditional worship because there is freedom of religion in our constitution. But If you are preparing charms and doing another fetish things to protect kidnappers and armed robbers, we will never allow you to operate here.
“The kidnappers have crossed the line and we are after them now.
“I must doff my heart for the Asagba of Asagba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge who has responded to what we are doing in Anambra State.
“Immediately he discovered that these criminals we are chasing out from Anambra are moving into Asaba, he read his own riot act to them that Asaba will not accommodate them, and he has set machinery in motion to check crime in Asaba.
“That is what a good traditional ruler should do. I want our Anambra traditional rulers to emulate him.”
Governor Soludo promised to ensure that the family of the late lawmaker did not lack anything but refused to mention what he will do for them.
