Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Amechi Awkunanaw community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State has alleged that the Commissioner for Rural Development to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is meddling in their town union affairs, which could trigger crisis in the area. They appealed to the governor to protect their newly elected town union executive from the alleged arbitrariness of his commissioner.
The community alleged that the commissioner had vowed not to recognize their newly elected town union leaders and has threatened to set up an election committee for the community that will elect a parallel executive.
Counsel to the community, Rufus Madu, in a letter to the governor, alerted that the commissioner’s threat was capable of unsettling the peace and tranquility presently existing in the community.
Madu said: “The commissioner is working with outlaws to enthrone a regime of lawlessness and total breakdown of law and order in Amechi community, which has no semblance of legal justification.
“Enugu State is ruled by law and anybody who is not satisfied with the conduct of another is at liberty to ventilate his grievance in a court of law.
“To add salt to a very decaying injury, the commissioner boasts of setting aside the constitution of Amechi Awkunanaw community thus assuming and usurping the function of the court. He lacks the capacity to assume and perform such function.
“He also cannot, in law, and in fact dissolve an already conducted election of Amechi community nor inaugurate a new one when the tenure of the present leadership has not expired. It is only the court that can do so.
“Our prayer, His Excellency is that you call the commissioner for Rural Development to order to avoid setting this state backward as a peace loving governor. He and any other government agent should be directed to work harmoniously with the present leadership in Amechi Awkunanaw community.
“Enugu State government should avoid stepping on the wrong stone aimed at destabilizing Amechi Awkunanaw community and creating anarchy, chaos, break down of law and order in his attempt to meddle into the electoral process of Amechi Awkunanaw community.”