Aloysius Attah and Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Critical stakeholders from Alor community, Anambra State, comprising the town union, Igwe-in-Council and village representatives, have restated their confidence in their traditional ruler, McAnthony Okonkwo and appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to lift its earlier suspension order slammed on the monarch .
Addressing a joint press briefing in Awka yesterday, Alor Peoples Convention Publicity Secretary, Innocent Peace-Udochukwu, flanked by the Traditional Prime Minister, Ben Udeze and Alor Peoples Convention President, Chris Okudo, said the community cannot support any act of lawlessness, disrespect or disobedience against the state government by anyone no matter their status.
He said it was based on such stance that they insisted that their traditional ruler, Okonkwo, should apologise to the governor for travelling to Abuja without prior information to the governor and he (the traditional ruler) offered apologies to Obiano immediately which portrayed him as a very humble, law-abiding and peace-loving man despite the fact that it is almost like a taboo for an Igwe to apologise to anyone in Igbo culture.
“Today, we are here to also plead with Governor Obiano to tamper justice with mercy and lift the suspension on our traditional ruler because to err is human but to forgive is divine, especially as he had apologised.
“Alor people have not in any way rejected their traditional ruler as some people who are opportunistic in nature in our town wanted to capitalise on the opportunity created by the unfortunate incident to deceive and, if possible, manipulate the system to favour their selfish interests.
The stakeholders described, as a lie from the pit of hell, a recent statement credited to Chris Ngige where he stated that Okonkwo was imposed on Alor people by the former governor Peter Obi and Obiano administrations.
They said the traditional ruler emerged through an election and procedures supported by the generality of Alor people of which he, Ngige, rejected when he discovered that his preferred candidate lost to Okonkwo and he even lost in court when he challenged the election.