The political tussle in the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has taken a deadly dimension following the kidnap and murder of a chieftain of the party, Amos Akano.

Akano, until his gruesome killing, was the Director-General of Ezihe Foundation, one of the groups supporting the governorship ambition of the Chief of Staff to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Uche Nwosu.

He hailed from Nkwerre Local Government Area, the same LGA with Nwosu.

He was an ally of the state governor’s camp and had been seen several times at state government functions.

According to his kinsman, Martins Nwadike, who confirmed the murder to our correspondent on Thursday, the deceased was kidnapped on the eve of the just concluded APC national convention.

He was said to be travelling home (Nkwerre) from Owerri, the state capital, when gunmen suspected to be hired assassins blocked him along the Isu-Njaba road and kidnapped him immediately.

When the APC members returned to the state after the national convention, where two factions loyal to the governor and other chieftains of the party from the state clashed while President Muhammadu Buhari was addressing the delegates, Akano’s corpse was found.

Nwadike said, “He was kidnapped on Friday, a day to the APC national convention. He was travelling home from Owerri to Nkwerre, our home town. The gunmen blocked him on the Isu-Njaba road.

“They made away with him. His corpse was found after the national convention. This is very saddening and highly devastating.

“Desperate politicking has no place in a decent democracy. The deceased was a gentleman. He was educated and civil in all his dealings.

“We urge the security agencies to bring his killers to book. Imo is not known for violent politicking. Those who take away human lives in order to ascend to political positions would be disappointed in 2019.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, had yet to respond to the text message sent to his phone.

PUNCH.