Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

Alor, a hitherto peaceful and beautiful community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, nicknamed Alor London, is fast becoming a troublesome town, no thanks to supremacy tussle.

Few years ago, it was the traditional stool that almost caused bloodbath in the community but for some acts of maturity, though there is still silent war on the issue.

Recently, the town was in the news again, this time, over town union government palaver which saw some members of the community disagreeing over the election of February 17 that saw the emergence of Chief Uzoma Igbonwa, as the new President General, Alor People’s Convention (APC).

The community had, at Nkwo Alor Market Square, elected Igbonwa and 17 others and inaugurated them to lead the town union and had chided the Anambra State government for denying the community democratically elected government for seven years.

A prominent son of the community and Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige had expressed displeasure that despite his plea and request to the state government since 2014 to allow Alor community elect the leadership of its town union government democratically, the government went ahead to deny the community state government presence.

The community, however, expressed gratitude to the state High Court, which made the town union election possible.

But four days later, a cross section of the community under the aegis of Alor Concerned Citizens led by chairman of the Igwe’s cabinet, Dr. Ben Udeze addressed the press at the NUJ Centre, Awka, and dismissed the election the new executive led by Igbonwa describing it as illegal and an affront on the state government.

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Udeze said dangerous crisis was brewing in the once peaceful town and urged the government to call those they described as agents of discord, to order, specifically mentioning the minister as the propelling force for those that held the election.

“The Alor People’s Convention Caretaker Committee which is today headed by Mr. Okey Elosiuba who was duly appointed by the Government of Anambra state, remains the legitimate town union of Ndi Alor despite the misinforming pictorials and publications on the news and social media platforms.”

Elosiuba, therefore, called on the state government to protect the people of Alor from those trying to destroy it, adding that holding the purported election when government had given an order prohibiting any town union or trade union election in the state between December 2018 and April 2019, was an affront.

“They were determined to plunge the community into anarchy and we are calling on the state government to call them to order.”

However, the newly elected President General, Chief Igbonwa in his reaction to the statements of the Concerned Citizens said the purported body was non-existent.

Meanwhile, some indigenes of the community have blamed the crisis on personality clash and struggle for supremacy between Ngige and the former Director General of Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Emeka Eze.

Commenting on the issue which they said have divided the town into two camps; one of the persons who wished not to be named said: “In other climes, communities would be asking God to bless them with prominent sons and daughters that would project their names to the world, but in our own in Alor, it seems the unsolicited blessing of God is tearing us apart, dividing us into two parallel lines.

“I pray that our two sons Ngige and Eze and their followers will find a common ground to unite this beautiful community again.”