I'm innocent - Wanted Rivers PDP Youth leader speaks from hideout, says he was framed up

Princewill Osareojiji, the Eleme Local Government Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth leader who was declared wanted by the Rivers state government has shared his own side of the story from his hideout.

In an interview with Nigeriainfo FM, Osareojiji blamed his travail on a serving Commissioner in Governor Nyesom Wike’s cabinet. He also denied leading some hoodlums to Prodest Hotel to attack members of COVID-19 Taskforce in Eleme.

He said;

“That day, l was called by the Manager of Prodest Hotel complaining that there were some men that came there demanding for money because the hotel had been shutdown for long. When I got there they were people I nominated into the COVID-19 Taskforce.

“They were just four persons. How can I beat up people I nominated? I told them that asking for bribes from a hotel that was not in operation was wrong and was not the mandate of the Governor. I asked them if the hotel was in operation, and even if it was, do they need to extort money from the hotel management?

“Some political leaders want to fight me, that was why they misinformed the Governor about me and Governor believe them without hearing me.

“I want the Governor to call all the chiefs, elders of PDP in Eleme to know the truth, I was set up and framed up.”

The PDP youth leader insisted that photos of those passed off as victims of the attack are fake and stage-managed.

Osareojiji added;

“Nobody beat anybody. Those photos with people on bandages in hospital are all lies. When Governor brought the Eleme Local government share of food as palliatives on Sunday, all those people feigning ill in the hospital were all sharing food and every Ward went with their own. Some of them were seen sharing food on Monday.

“How can you, after sharing food on Monday, morning and later in the evening you go and lie down on the hospital bed with your body bandaged?. If they were beaten up and hospitalized could they be seen sharing food on Monday and everybody saw them?

“I am neither a cultist or a kidnapper as alleged. I fight cultism and kidnapping in Eleme. I am married for the past 17 years and have never been in handcuffs or arrested for any crimes. Those who want me out of the way decided to frame me by passing misinformation to the Governor.”

He also disclosed that he wants to meet Governor Wike to clear his name. Osareojiji revealed that he is not the owner of the demolished Prodest hotel as alleged by the state government.

The PDP Youth leader said;

“I want to meet with Governor to clear my name. He should give me fair hearing.

“The owner of the Prodest hotel lives in Lagos. I saw him last five years ago. If I see him now, I may not recognize him. All these are framed stories concocted to destroy me”.

Princewill Osareojiji has a N5m bounty placed on his head by the Rivers State Government.