Prof. Pat Utomi, a political economist, has described the murder of Dr Chike Akunyili, widower of late Prof. Dora Akunyili as terrible and bad omen for state and nation.
Utomi, a former presidential candidate on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
NAN recalls that Akunyili, widower of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, a former director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was murdered on Tuesday.
Akunyili was killed alongside his orderly, a priest and others, by unknown gunmen, on their way from Onitsha to Umuoji, at Afor Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra.
Utomi, Founder of Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) told NAN that Akunyili did not deserve such a vicious murder.
“I think it was a very horrible act, a very terrible thing. It is a bad omen for the state of things in Anambra and Nigeria in general.
“First and foremost, Dr Akunyili was a very distinguished professional, not known for any major political, communal or any of those things that are friction related.
“For somebody who was giving so much of his life serving society, his wife was an icon of service, to be killed in such a manner, is terrible.
“It also makes a statement about the fact that the security challenges of our time have now become a national emergency. We can’t explain it away anymore, ” he said.
On the consequence of the killings on the upcoming Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov. 6, Utomi said that such killings could affect mindset of the electorate negatively.
“It means that our democracy is being threatened,” he said.
Utomi expressed his condolences to the children and family of the late medical doctor.
“I am really devastated by the news of his death and the manner of his death,” he added.
On the viral video of the scene of Akunyili’s murder, Utomi condemned such act, describing it as unfair and horrifying.
“We must desist from doing those things as they attract people who want to regulate the use of social media.
“We need self restraint in these matters,” he added. (NAN)
