Politics
Anambra Community boils over plot by Lawmakers to impose traditional ruler
By Our Correspondent
Cold war is brewing in Awa Town in Orumba North local government area of Anambra state over plot by the House of Assembly and some town union cabals to impose an Igwe on the community.
While some of the the state legislators are hell bent on enthroning a new Igwe of Awa without undergoing due processes involved therein, the Awa community and the ruling villages are kicking against such moves, describing it as an attempt to steal their rightful throne.
The Igwe of Awa Town, Charles Chukwunwike Mbadiugha (Dike Nzekwe of Awa) died in 2015, and since then the community has been embroiled in succession tussle, leading to series of litigations between Umunzekwe family and the Awa Development Union leadership and as well as other members of Igwe cabinet.
This development has also not only created a leadership vacuum, but fuelled undue rivalry among contending interest groups as well as disunity in the traditional institution in Awa community, which had hitherto been peaceful.
In an attempt to resolve the lingering crisis, the Orumba North local government council on January 9, 2018 and under the Council chairman Hon Emeka Afforka, set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee on Awa Igwe/chieftaincy crises.
The 9-man panel in a reference letter ORNLG/AD/240/1/124 and headed by Hon Bernard Onyekwelu, the then Deputy Chairman of Orumba North, was mandated to look into the petition written by Umenzekwe family against the Awa Development Union and other members of Igwe’s Cabinet, find out the immediate and remote causes of the crisis with a view to proffering solutions as well as settling the matter amicably and restoring peace in Awa Community.
The panel after painstaking deliberations, recommended “the installation of a new Igwe as the first charge as the absence of an Igwe in Awa, the Iqwe/Chieftaincy constitution cannot be amended except after installation because it is the new Igwe that would sign the amended constitution into law.”
It further recommended that “candidate for the Iqweship stool should come from Umunzekwe family in line with agreements reached by both sides.”
A few years after the committee recommendations were adopted by warring factions, the then President General of Awa Development Union, Prof Obi Obikeze, and Dr Raymond Offor discreetly set up committee to illegally amend the Awa Town Council 1977 constitution on traditional rulership selection/identification of Igwe.
On getting wind of this ugly development and sensing moves to deny them of their traditional birth right of being the royal family that produces the Igwe of Awa in accordance with customs and tradition, the Umunzekwe family comprising Agbada, Eziobuikpa and Eziobuna villages headed for court and got an injunction restraining the Awa Development Union leaders from tampering with the constitution in a Suit No: AG/155/2018 between Chinedu Nwankwo and Sir Christopher Okeke (plaintiffs and representatives of Umenzekwe) versus Prof Obi Obikeze and Dr Raymond Offor ( as defendants) for themselves and representatives of members of Awa Development Union.
Checks by our reporter showed that the Awa Town Council 1977 constitution on traditional rulership authorises the selection/identification of Awa traditonal head on the senior and ruling Umunzekwe village or quarter of Awa in accordance with customs and tradition
Determined to have their way even as the court order was still subsisting, the duo of Obikeze and Offor went ahead and wrote a new constitution entirely and submitted same to the government, claiming that Awa has no existing constitution.
And out to defend sanctity of the traditional institution and protect their heritage, the Umunzekwe family again, on getting wind of the moves, petitioned the Anambra Commissioner of Police demanding investigation into the alleged change of Awa Town constitution.
It was gathered that following that petition, the police arrested Prof Obikeze and Dr Offor and charged them with fraud and are said to be standing trial.
While all these contending issues were on, the new President General of Awa Development Union, Dr Raymond Offor, shortly after his election in December 31, 2020, wrote to the community giving them ten days within which to elect a new Igwe, claiming it was government directive.
Worried by the action of the town union’s president whose election is still under litigation, the Umunzekwe again protested to the government, leading to the cancellation of the purported election and advised all to return to status quo.
In a letter dated February 12, 2021 and made available to our reporter in Awka, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr Greg Obi, cancelled the purported election citing some irreconcilable issues.
The letter signed on his behalf by Henry Nwasike and copied to critical stakeholders including security agencies, read in part: “The cancellation of the election was necessitated by series of documented information before the state government which, if not clinically examined and addressed before the election, can lead to problems and security issues in state.”
Further reacting on the issue, the Commissioner said the Awa matter is before the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice for his opinion because of the legal issues involved, adding AG’s advice would enable government to proceed further.
Further checks revealed that in spite of all these lingering issues and against government directive, the law maker representing Orumba North in the state Assembly, Hon Emeka Aforka, and his group allegedly organised a thanksgiving service at St Micheal’s Catholic Church at Awa on Sunday, February 14, 2021 to celebrate the purported election of one Chief Isreal Ezue as the new Igwe of Awa.
On discovering that government wasn’t willing to buy into his subterranean plots to impose his crony as new Igwe, Hon Afforka engineered one of his allies and the new Town Union president, Dr Raymond Offor, to petition the House of Assembly through his office, the Public Petitions.
House sources revealed that as usual, the House after receiving the petition titled ”Complaint against Henry Nwasike of the Anambra State Ministry Of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs for Conduct Unbecoming of a Civil Servant, Gross Misconduct, Fraudulent Practices and Inciting Religious Division Within Awa Committee” referred it to the committee on Public Petitions, which Oforka is the chairman.
According to the source, the committee on March 3, 2021 presented their report on the floor of the house and after deliberating on the matter the lawmakers adopted a resolution including “directing the Head of Service, to post out Mr Henry Nwasike from the ministry of local government, chieftaincy and community affairs and that the said letter cancelling the election of Awa Traditional Ruler sent to the president of Awa Development Union be declared null and void as it has been overtaken by events and the and winner be issued with certificate of recognition as Igwe of Awa Town to ensure peace within the community.”
Speaking earlier while presenting the report, Aforka argued that contrary to what people are made to believe, that Awa Town had set up a committee to review the chieftaincy selection constitution and it was duly approved by state government through the ministry of local government affairs in 2018.
He said it was worrisome that a section of the community proceeded to court, insisting that the issue of chieftaincy is their own hereditary right, adding that the matter was later struck out.
He explained that the community communicated the state government through the ministry fixing February 13, 2021 for the election and it was held to their greatest surprise, expressing dismay that after declaration of the winner of the election, the ministry of local government letter cancelled it.
Reacting to the House of Assembly resolutions, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Obiano on Community Liaison, Hon Chukwuemeke Egwuonwu, said the issue of traditional institution is so sacred and revered that all due processes must be followed for peace to reign in various communities in Anambra.
Egwuonwu, who hail from Awa, said Awa community have for decades been living in peace among themselves and therefore enjoined the government to do everything possible to preserve the people’s culture and tradition.
According to him, the Awa community is yet to elect Igwe and reconstitute the Igwe-in-council following some irreconcilable differences within the community, calling on the Governor to tow the path of truth and justice in the Igweship tussle.
He said the House resolution directing Governor Willy Obiano to issue a certificate of recognition to the purported Igwe-elect, HRH Igwe Isreal Okeke, is against the age-long Awa Town Council 1977 constitution on traditional rulership, selection/identification which confers traditional head on the senior and ruling Umunzekwe village or quarter of Awa in accordance with the community customs and tradition.
He further explained that the report of peace and reconciliation committee on Awa Igwe/Chieftaincy Crises set up by Hon Emeja Aforka, the then council chairman of Orumba north local governemnt, recommended among others that candidate for the Iqweship stool should come from Umunzekwe family in line with agreements reached by both sides.
He added that the report expressly stated that “in the absence of an Igwe in Awa, the Iqwe/Chieftaincy constitution cannot be amended except after installation,” disclosing that the Awa community is made up of twelve villages and only three of them are the ruling villages that would produce the next Igwe.
Emeka stated that the Assembly has no right at all to direct Governor Obiano to give certificate of recognition to the purported Igwe-elelct just as they was no election to that effect, calling on the Governor to disregard their directive as it would further breed tension and acrimony within the community.
Also advising Governor Willy Obiano to be wary of imposters who want not only foist their crony as Igwe in Awa Town, a community leader, Solomon Nwosu, said the move by Hon Aforka is an attempt to desecrate the traditional institution and cause division among the family members.
Nwosu, from Eziobuikpa village, maintained that it is unfortunate that their representative at the house of Assembly is conspiring to destroy a revered royal family even as they stood with the lawmaker in the 2019 general election that brought him to office.
He wondered why Aforka should dissipate energy and such interest championing the cause of Awa when his people are up against him for his alleged misdemeanors.
According to him, “Aforka desperate moves is a calculated attempt to spite the peace loving governor Obiano and we shall rise against it as Awa family stands for peace and justice.”
Also speaking, Nze Prince Willifred Nwankwo, whose father-grand and father have been igwes of Awa, said what is happening in Awa is a misnomer and unheard of and therefore should be condemned by all right thinking community leaders.
Nwankwo,from Eziobuna, explained that traditional issues are not discussed at the behest of an individual whose quest for power cannot be sacrificed at the alter of our native laws and customs, calling on Hon Aforka to stay off Awa matter as he is not empowered to speak on the community’s behalf with regard to Igweship stool.
He advised Aforka to focus on how to make laws for good governance and borrow a leaf from his colleagues on how to attract projects to his constituents, adding that so far the law maker can not boast of anything in the whole sixteen communities of Orumba North other than crisis.
END
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a split decision of two to one, the three-member panel affirmed the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, holding that the congresses organised under the caretaker committee violated an existing court order.
Justice Okon Abang, who delivered the lead judgment, ruled that there was no basis to set aside the restraining order issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on April 29.
The appellate court also upheld the lower court’s decision barring the caretaker leadership from interfering with the functions and tenure of the party’s duly elected state executive committees.
According to the court, the ADC Constitution vests the responsibility for conducting state congresses in the elected state executive committees, not the national caretaker leadership.
Justice Donatus Okorowo concurred with the lead judgment, while Justice Abba Mohammed dissented, arguing that the matter was an internal affair of the political party and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The suit was filed by aggrieved members of the ADC, who challenged the legality of committees established by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership to conduct state congresses. They argued that the appointments breached the party’s constitution, insisting that only duly elected party organs had the authority to organise state congresses.
In its earlier ruling, the Federal High Court held that the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committees and State Executive Committees remained valid until fresh congresses and a national convention were properly conducted.
Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that neither the 1999 Constitution nor the ADC Constitution empowered the caretaker committee to appoint committees to conduct state congresses.
While noting that courts generally refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of political parties, the judge held that judicial intervention is justified where constitutional or statutory provisions are alleged to have been breached.
Affirming the lower court’s decision, the Court of Appeal declared the state congresses and national convention conducted by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership null and void for being carried out in defiance of an existing court order.
The appellate court stressed that once a dispute raises constitutional issues, it ceases to be merely an internal party matter and becomes subject to judicial review.
Consequently, the court dismissed the ADC’s appeal, upheld all the orders of the Federal High Court, and awarded ₦10 million in costs against the party.
By Chinedu Sabastine
A pro-Yoruba women group, operating under the banner of Yoruba Women in Politics (YWIP), has applauded the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Benjamin Obi Nwoye, for strengthening the party across the Southern part of Nigeria barely three months he assumed office.
They said: “Dr. Benjamin Obi Nwoye is a very honest and open person. He has done considerably well,” the group said.
He was also praised for displaying high democratic ideals and delivering electoral victories for the ruling party in Southern Nigeria.
Chairperson of the women group Mrs. Dorothy Akinyele, in a statement issued in Akure, the Ondo state capital on Saturday applauded Nwoye “for his loyalty, strength of character, and consistency of purpose to the cause of democracy.”
They expressed delight and satisfaction “with the high degree of determination so far exhibited by Nwoye to applying the principle of fair play in treating all party members and asserting independence and neutrality in most cases.”
The highly revered South West women body also commended Nwoye “for deepening the party’s structures in the South-west, South-South and South-East, empowering women and youth and building a stronger APC and a more inclusive future for Nigeria.”
In particular, the women lauded Nwoye “for mobilizing support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, preserving the progressive ideals upon which the APC was built and curtailing the abuse of democratic norms in the ruling party.”
According to them, “Dr. Benjamin Obi Nwoye is level headed, has milk of human kindness flowing in his veins and committed to the success of President Tinubu and the party in 2027 and beyond,” YWIP said.
It therefore, described Dr. Nwoye as “the influential exponent of national unity,” extolling him for ensuring a smooth internal
Democratic process in his home state Enugu, the coal city state.
The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed a public debate challenge from the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, saying the minister must first become a presidential candidate before seeking such an engagement.
Obi made the remark during an interview with media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, where he responded to Umahi’s challenge following his criticism of the condition of Nigerian road.
The former Anambra State governor argued that presidential debates are reserved for candidates seeking the nation’s highest office, insisting that Umahi does not fit that category.
According to Obi, the controversy over the poor state of the roads had already produced results, noting that his criticism prompted repairs.
“If he is inviting me to a debate as a presidential candidate, then he has to become a presidential candidate first,” Obi said.
Drawing an analogy with international football, the NDC presidential flagbearer likened Umahi’s challenge to a team that failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup inviting a qualified team to a match.“The World Cup is going on now. You cannot stay outside and invite a team that qualified for the World Cup to come and play against you simply because you think you are good. No. There is a qualification process,” he added.
Obi maintained that leadership should be measured by performance rather than rhetoric, suggesting that the repairs carried out after his criticism underscored the importance of holding public officials accountable.
His response comes days after Umahi declared that Obi posed no political threat to President Bola Tinubu or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while challenging him to a public debate over the state of federal roads and infrastructure across the country.
Ada Ogbu, who made the clarification in a statement posted on her official X account on Saturday, was responding to Keyamo’s ultimatum demanding that Obi apologise to airport officials, pay a ₦25,000 parking fine or face action by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).Executive Branch
Ogbu, who described herself as an eyewitness, maintained that she was among those who accompanied Obi to the airport on Saturday, July 4, and categorically denied the minister’s claim that the politician was driven by a police officer.
“As a member of the team that accompanied His Excellency @PeterObi to the Abuja airport on Saturday, July 4, I can state categorically that he does not have a police officer as his driver in Abuja. Therefore, if airport CCTV captured a police officer entering the driver’s seat of a vehicle, that vehicle could not have been Mr. Obi’s,” she stated.
She further argued that the incident highlighted by Keyamo was different from the one Obi narrated during his interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.
According to her, Obi’s frequent travels across the country have exposed him and his aides to repeated hostile treatment by airport personnel.Government
“It is also important to note that Mr. Obi travels through as many as ten Nigerian airports every week. Over time, there have been several acts of hostility directed at him and members of his team by airport personnel across different locations,” Ogbu said.
She concluded that the aviation minister had referenced an entirely separate incident.
“Based on the account shared by the Honourable Minister, it is clear that the incident Mr. Obi referenced during his interview with @Chude did not occur on the date or at the airport cited by the Minister. They are plainly two different incidents.”
Her reaction comes hours after Keyamo released CCTV-based findings from an internal inquiry into the airport incident, insisting Obi must publicly apologise to airport workers and pay the prescribed parking fine within one week or risk further action by FAAN.
President Bola Tinubu on Friday formally retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
This was as political parties made last-minute moves to beat the Independent National Electoral Commission’s deadline for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
The ruling All Progressives Congress presented the nomination forms of Tinubu and Shettima to its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, in Abuja for onward transmission to INEC, effectively ending months of speculation that the President could replace his deputy with a northern Christian.
The development came as INEC confirmed that it had received the presidential and vice-presidential nominations of the African Democratic Congress, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Social Democratic Party, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, Peoples Redemption Party and Young Progressives Party.
Meanwhile, several other political parties continued uploading the names of their candidates ahead of the commission’s Saturday midnight deadline.
The electoral commission had fixed July 11, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to upload the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online nomination portal in accordance with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The submission exercise, which commenced on June 27, covers Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E for presidential, vice-presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
According to the timetable released by the commission, political parties are expected to begin uploading the names of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates from July 18, with the exercise ending on August 8.
INEC is scheduled to publish the personal particulars of presidential and National Assembly candidates on August 1, while those of governorship and state assembly candidates will be displayed on August 29 to allow members of the public raise objections where necessary.
The commission also fixed August 22 as the deadline for the withdrawal and substitution of presidential and National Assembly candidates, while governorship and state assembly candidates have until September 19 for withdrawal or replacement in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The July 11 deadline marks one of the most critical stages in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, as only candidates validly nominated by political parties through primaries monitored by INEC are eligible for submission.
The commission had repeatedly warned political parties against submitting the names of candidates different from those who emerged from duly monitored primaries, insisting that any nomination outside the provisions of the Electoral Act and its regulations would be rejected.
Against this backdrop, the APC used Friday’s presentation ceremony to publicly affirm its presidential ticket, signalling that it would head into the 2027 contest without altering the Muslim-Muslim ticket that secured victory in the 2023 presidential election.
Following President Tinubu’s emergence as the APC’s presidential candidate during the party’s convention, political discussions had intensified over whether the President would retain Shettima or opt for another running mate to broaden the party’s electoral appeal.
Those speculations gathered momentum in recent months amid reports that the ruling party was considering a northern Christian as vice-presidential candidate to address concerns over religious balancing.
Friday’s submission, however, ended the uncertainty, with the APC formally presenting Tinubu and Shettima as its flag bearers for the 2027 election.
The nomination documents were presented on behalf of the President by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, during a ceremony attended by members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly, the Federal Executive Council, the APC National Working Committee, state chairmen of the party and APC governorship candidates.
Earlier, the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, described the event as the formal presentation of the duly completed nomination forms of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Argungu noted that President Tinubu had earlier secured the party’s presidential ticket through what he described as a transparent primary election, and urged party members to remain united ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also commended the President for what he described as the achievements of his administration before formally handing over the nomination documents to the APC National Chairman for onward submission to INEC.
Speaking on behalf of APC governors, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, reaffirmed the governors’ support for President Tinubu and the party leadership.
“We are delighted that this event is coming after a well-organised and thoroughly supervised primary process. We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting President Tinubu and the party,” he said.
Uzodimma said the APC remained committed to internal democracy and inclusiveness, adding that the governors would continue mobilising support for the President across the country.
“We will continue to support him in the larger interest of Nigerians and to take the country to greater heights. To the National Working Committee, we reaffirm our support. Together, we are going to deliver victory for President Tinubu and ensure the party wins all elective positions, including the National and State Assemblies,” he added.
Receiving the nomination forms, APC National Chairman, Prof. Yilwatda, described the event as a reflection of the confidence reposed in President Tinubu by millions of party members across the country.
According to him, the President’s endorsement by members of the party demonstrated widespread support for his administration and its policies.
He stated, “Today is a reflection of the wishes of over 12 million members of the APC who overwhelmingly voted for Mr. President as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election. We are proud that APC members across the country cast over 12 million votes for Mr. President and overwhelmingly endorsed him.
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