From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
An octogenarian and the coordinator of past presidents general of town unions in Dunukofia Local Government Area , Anambra State, Chief Jasper Azodo, has appealed to the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo to intervene in the Ifitedunu town union crisis by directing for a free and fair election.
Azodo in a Save -Our-Soul (SOS) petition sent to the governor yesterday, accused the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Collins Nwabunwanne of working for a sacked president -general of the community , Okoye Orangwuncha.
Though Nwabuwanne denied the allegations when contacted, Azodo said a delegation of the town he led to see the Chief of Staff assured them that Soludo had directed that the issue of town union caretaker committees be discontinued in the state.
The Chief of Staff, Azodo said , referred them to the Commissioner for Local Government and Town Union matters, adding that unfortunately they found out to their utter surprise that the Commissioner was working for a sacked PG of the town and had assured him that he would return him as the president general of Ifitedunu based on their personal relationship.
The Octogenarian said they were not put on notice on the petition by the former PG even when the Commissioner was allegedly boasting that he would restore the sacked PG.
Azodo said the Commissioner was taking the steps without asking why the state government removed the former PG in the first place and replaced his regime with Caretaker committee .
The octogenarian pleaded with the governor to ensure their petition was answered positively to ensure peace in the town, adding “please to ensure that there is peace in Ifitedunu, direct that a credible election be conducted in the town based on option A4 in line with the approved town union constitution approved by the Anambra State Government”.
When contacted, the Commissioner denied working for any particular individual in Ifitedunu, rather he insisted that in line with the policy of government, he was working hard to restore peace in the community just like in any other community in the state.
He said there were white paper and court judgments not only exonerating the former PG but also directing that he should be reinstated, adding that he would not force the former President-General to go for fresh election when there was a court judgment ordering that he should complete his tenure.