Anambra PG, Others Deny Allegation Of Manipulation Of Igweship Election

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The President General, PG, Isuaniocha community, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Mr. Paul Onuorah Okoye and the Youth leader, Ozo Onyemazu Ngini, have denied the allegation making the round in some quarters that the Igweship election in which Chief Sylvester Ngini, emerged victorious was manipulated, describing the allegation as a figment of the imagination of enemies of progress.

The PG reiterated that as far as he is concerned Isuaniocha conducted the freest election he has ever witnessed in the community on January 6th, 2023, stating that up till now he is not aware of anybody complaining that the election was manipulated.

“The loser in the Igweship election, Chief Donatus Okeke congratulated the winner in the presence of everybody and even went to Isuaniocha platform to congratulate him. So I am not aware of any complaint from anybody even as the President General, what we are talking about now is issuance of our certificate of recognition for our igwe.

” Isuaniocha Development Union of which I am the President General, conducted the election and uptil this moment I have not been served of any court processes with respect to the election.

“Those carrying the rumour are enemies of progress because if Isuaniocha cannot get an Igwe for the past 19 years we have had more than four to six PGs since then and none of them was doing enough to give Isuaniocha an Igwe. I tried my best to conduct the election of Igwe and somebody from somewhere wants to kick against it, that means that person is an enemy of progress because a town without an Igwe for 19 years you know what it means, that town is backward. Somebody cannot be kicking.

“On the day of the conduct of the election journalists were there, there were no gunshots, no fight, even no pushing of anybody, we conducted our election very free and fair, everybody was there to witness it, I was not even in control but there was an electoral committee that controled the election. I participated as a voter, I voted my candidate that I felt he would do well and after the voting the votes were counted and the result was announced in the presence of everybody.

“When Igwe- elect was going home to celebrate I was even the person that called him back and called the loser back and they embraced themselves and congratulated themselves and made their speeches and the loser accepted the decision of Isuaniocha, the winner also accepted and we dismissed, so anybody trying to dismiss the result is a dubious person,” he stated.

Reacting further he stated that, “that person should tell us who manipulated the election, the ballot box was there in the eyes of everybody, there was accreditation. We all waited until they finished the counting and the winner was declared. Winner and loser are not complaining, the electoral committee is not complaining, no member of IDU is complaining, who again will complain. We have cross ed the stage of election,” he affirmed.

In a swift reaction, the Youth leader, Ozo Onyemazu Ngini, hinted that he is hearing it for the first time that the election was manipulated stating that it is false, untrue and allegation from rumour mongers pointing out that several agencies came and observed what happened .
“That day, local Government Area chairman came and Commissioner for local government sent representative, they all came and there was nothing like crisis and winner was declared. The loser Chief Donatus Okeke, congratulated the winner, nobody said the election was not free and fair.You know people must talk.

“Since after the election, our community is in peace, no panic, everywhere is quiet, we are all happy that the election is free and fair without fight. After this 2023 election, they will still talk while the loser will be congratulating the winner and supporters will be by the side talking their own, is equivalent to this our election,” he posited.

The youth leader lamented that the community lost lot of things for the 19 years it was without a monarch thereby making PGs to usurp the functions of Igwe which caused problems in the community, stating that the incumbent PG as a God fearing man, insisted on conduct of election to produce a man of the people as the monarch.

“He is the only PG that did well, I even said it in town hall meeting that if after it resulted that there is what he committed that the good things he (PG), did will cover him. Now that we have Igwe, if the PG starts doing wrongly, the Igwe will call him to order. This is the only PG that insisted that we must have Igwe, so that the bad people in Isuaniocha will be curtailed,” he further stated.

He expressed satisfaction that a lot of progress has been recorded since after the election, as issues and matters are being referred to the Igwe’s palace for peaceful settlement irrespective of one’s position in the society.

“The whole of Isuaniocha will give thanks to our PG not only me because when 70 to 80 per cent of Isuaniocha people greet him, almost all have greeted him, there is never a way the whole of Isuaniocha will greet him,” he affirmed.

Pix shows the PG