Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Residents of Ifitedunu community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Friday, stormed Government House, Awka, to register their displeasure over the leadership tussle rocking their community.
The people, armed with placards with various inscriptions, alleged that certain persons were making desperate moves to remove the present executive members of their town union who were overwhelmingly voted for by the people and then, impose a caretaker committee on them.
Chairman of Ndi Oji Ana Ifitedunu, Chief Obiora Ekeghaa, said that the present leaders of their town union were enjoying their support; and have been discharging their duties satisfactorily before some elements started plotting to oust them from office for their selfish gains.
Ekeghaa, who described the plot as ugly and ill-conceived, said that the tussle if not addressed urgently might degenerate to a distasteful situation. He, therefore, appealed to the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to intervene.
Another community leader, Dr Steven Ufoaroh, while corroborating Ekeghaa, alleged that some of the people causing the confusion in the community were those who lost their last town union election.
“Election was held in January and the present executives overwhelmingly won the election. Suddenly, we started to hear that some people were not satisfied and they began to antagonize the elected executives. And recently, we heard rumours that they want to remove the most democratically elected executives of the town union.
“And the people of the town said look; that they have elected their leaders and they need to come and let the government know that actually, these were the leaders they elected; that they should be allowed to do their work.
“And those that felt aggrieved after the election should also come for peaceful settlement at the end of the day. It is not winner takes all that we are talking about but let there be peaceful coexistence”, Ufoaroh said.
Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, while addressing the aggrieved Ifitedunu people, assured them that government would look into their complaints and address same accordingly.