ANSG urges traditional rulers, town union leaders against crisis in communities
The Anambra State Government has warned people instigating crisis in communities across the state to stop, saying such acts retard development and progress.
The state commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Collins Nwabunwanne, gave the warning while addressing journalists on Thursday in Awka.
Nwabunwanne said his office has conducted elections in more than 100 communities which were hitherto in leadership crisis to ensure peace.
He said that the state was not interested in the candidature of any one to serve as President General or traditional ruler.
The commissioner who made particular reference to Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra, said those fanning the embers of crisis in the community must refrain from that.
HRH Igwe Emeka Ilouno, traditional ruler, Ifitedunu Community, Dunukofia, Anambra State
He accused a prominent leader of Ifitedunu, Chief Vincent Udobi of fueling crisis in Ifitedunu, noting that the President General of the community Uchenna Nwoye was being unfairly humiliated.
“To assault Mr Uchenna Nwoye, the President General of Ifitedunu and they had beaten him up and forcefully remove him from office is most unfair”, he said.
But Udobi on his part, said the community has been peaceful until Nwoye was reinstated by Nwabunwanne, saying that the act promoted the crisis in the community.
Chief Vincent Udobi
Udobi, a well known philanthropist in the area and a chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), called on Governor Charles Soludo to look into the activities of Nwabunwanne.
He said that the commissioner should stop taking sides, as such has obvious negative implications in Anambra communities.
“The commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs is the person causing the problems in Ifitedunu community and the governor must look into the activities of the ministry”, he said.
Ifitedunu community has been embroiled in crisis lately involving the President-General Uchenna Nwoye and some community leaders in the area over the activities of his office.
But, the commissioner, Nwabunwanne citing a section of the constitution of Ifitedunu noted that the decision to remove the elected President-General is a constitutional matter.
According to section 19 of the constitution of Ifitedunu, a general meeting supported by two-third majority of people present is the stipulated way to remove an elected president general.
He regretted that some persons unilaterally removed Nwoye as the President General, a position his office was opposed to.
His Royal Highness Igwe Emeka Ilouno, traditional ruler of Ifitedunu told journalists that the state government should urgently intervene to save the community from further crisis.
“My community has been peaceful until the year 2015 when some people began to do very strange things by registering Ifitedunu as an enterprise with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“A Community cannot be run as an enterprise and government is keeping calm at such a development to the extent that constitution being cited now is silent on the office of a traditional ruler”, he said. (Community reporters)
