8 PDP members die in auto crash

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state sympathizing with one of the accident victims

Eight members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia were confirmed dead on Wednesday following an auto crash on the Awka-Enugu Expressway. The accident reportedly happened at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday when they were returning to Umuahia from Awka, where they monitored the party’s ward congresses.

Narrating the incident to newsmen, the driver of the PDP Hummer bus, Sunday Iroegbu, explained that they were driving in a motorcade from Awka to Enugu when the accident occurred.

Mr. Iroegbu, who sustained a minor injury on his left wrist, blamed the accident on over-speeding by the pilot vehicle. He explained that some of the vehicles were doing 120 kilometres per hour and above and that it was drizzling.

He said he trailed other vehicles and relied on their tail light to keep pace with them when the bus suddenly veered off the road and landed in a ditch.

The Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abali Chuku, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said the deceased had been deposited at the hospital mortuary.

Mr. Chuku explained that of the 10 others affected by the accident, four were in critical condition and were receiving treatment at the intensive care unit.

He called for the establishment of a trauma centre at the hospital to cater for accident cases.

Chuku said that in recent time, the hospital had to contend with serious road accidents, including the one that involved some students and youth corps members.

Meanwhile, Gov. Theodore Orji has visited the survivors at the hospital but did not make any public comment.

He was accompanied on the visit by senior government officials and party officials.

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