Jubilation: Court Sack Anambra Community PG After Tenure Elapses
By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
It was jubilation galore at Nkwelle-Ezunaka community, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, when the news filtered in that an Otuocha High court 3, sitting in Onitsha, and Presided over by Hon. Justice Tagbo Anieto, has sacked the President General, PG, of the community, Chief Areh Onyenze, who reportedly wanted to extend his tenure.
Reacting to the judgement, his rival in the suit, Chief Willie Okafor, who is currently the PG, said that he was not surprised that Onyenze would be defeated, adding that it was obvious that his case was dead on arrival.
“I am not surprised in the judgement because I know we did election, date was given to us by the State government and all the Nkwelle people agreed that the tenure of Onyenze has elapsed.
”We agreed that December will be the election time and was supervised by the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Town Union/ Community Affairs, Oyi council chairman, security personnel, ASATU, among others. We had a credible election, I am not surprised that I won and Onyenze supposed to know but wanted to waste people’s money and time.
” it is a deserved victory, it shows that there is still hope on our judiciary, which is the last hope of a common man, He pleaded that his tenure has not expired.
“The expectation now is that Nkwelle will now move on because where two elephants fight, the grasses suffer. Nkwelle has been in crises for three years now, but with this victory, we will move forward, I expect every Nkwelle man to be happy.
“I told Areh Onyenze in the court that there is no victory, no vanquished, that he should come together so that we will move the community forward and I mean it,” he stated.
On security, in the community he revealed that, “No family, village is paying development fee and I run the office with my money, I gave the security outfit fund, they know what they needed for their work.
“I have my security committee, they are doing very well, Nkwelle is not a small community, we are improving seriously on security, Nkwelle right now is security ready, I have warned the bad boys to leave Nkwelle, we are ready for them now, we have enough security to fight insecurity, there is external body that are used to come in, rob and leave.
“Having gone through the court, we will be having our meeting on the preparation of election of our Igwe and I plead for everybody to come together because we are losing a lot for not having a traditional ruler.
“I enjoin everybody to come together and move Nkwelle forward, our this year new yam festival will be merry making because we are no longer in court,” he affirmed.
Pic shows Chief Okafor
