Key stakeholders and Branch Chairmen of Eziowelle Improvement Union EIU, have criticised the outcome of the peace meeting convened by the Hon Commissioner for LGA, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs Mr Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne.
According to letters written by EIU stakeholders to His Excellency Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo and his Chief of Staff, with copies forwarded to relevant government officials, the group faulted the decision to conduct Town Union election on June 29 following the inconsistency of that decision with the EIU constitution.
Below is the stakeholder’s letter of appeal to Governor Soludo in anticipation that he will use his exalted position to resolve the issues amicably.
His, Excellency,
Prof. Chukwuma Soludo CFR,
Governor Anambra State,
Government House,
Awka.
Your Excellency Sir,
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT OF THE MAIDEN MEETING BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CHIEFTAINCY AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, THE BRANCH CHAIRMEN AND SOME STAKEHOLDERS OF EZIOWELLE COMMUNITY.
“We are a nation of laws with respect and recognition of the rule of law. We are not an imperialist government with a monarch abiding by the rule of one man”. ~ Marsha Blackburn.
BACKGROUND:
The Eziowelle Improvement Union is the only recognized town union body in the community. The union operates a constitution dated 1992, about 30 years old document, and other previous leadership of the union have used it as the ground norm for the administration of the union since inception.
The crux of the matter in Eziowelle community is the failure of the immediate past executive committee of the union led by Barr. Titus Akpudo to conduct the union’s
election before the expiration of his tenure on June 30,2021, and also the failure of the Anambra State Government to enforce compliance and adherence to the provisions of Eziowelle Improvement Union constitution (1992) by invoking the provisions of Article XVI(c) and (d). See attached copy:
Another problem is the illegal imposition of an illegitimate and fraudulent document
called Eziowelle Improvement Union constitution (2020) by Barr. Titus Akpudo
without ‘Due Process’.
There are laid down rules for review or amendment of community constitutions in the State. Barr. Titus Akpudo and Mr. Commissioner must not be allowed to feign ignorance of the law by destroying the same law that created the State and its organs. The Office of Mr. Commissioner is a creation
of law. The rule of law should be protected at all costs by the State Government, rather than the rule of man. What is happening in Eziowelle Improvement Union is an intentional and criminal denial of the constitutional rights of the people to administer the affairs of their community in accordance with the law (constitution) which will eventually birth anarchy in our dear community.
THE MEETING:
The maiden meeting between the Commissioner and the Branch Chairmen of
Eziowelle Improvement Union from far and near finally held on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at the Conference Hall of the Secretary to the State Government, Government House, Awka.
The meeting commenced almost two hours behind the scheduled time of 12 pm, and without proper introduction. The representatives of Onitsha, Nnewi,
Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Makurdi, Warri, and another group of people mostly from Ubulu village, one of the five constituent villages were also in attendance.
The meeting was presided over by the Commissioner, Barr. Titus Akpudo, our
former PG Chief Dr. Laz .C. Okafor retired Permanent Secretary in the Ministry
of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, an interested party and a member of Igwe in Council and the HOD, Town Union. Imagine the composition of the meeting. How can you get justice when the accused is eventually elevated to the Bench in the same case he is being accused of?
We accepted that abnormal arrangement from Mr. Commissioner because we were convinced we had the facts. And, we still do.
It was simply obvious that Mr. Commissioner had a preferred outcome in this matter. The composition of the invitees beats all known best practices in convening meetings with particular regard to his letter of invitation addressed to All Branch Chairmen only. Again, for some reasons we stayed back and observed one of the most remarkable wrong – headed biases we have ever seen.
After the Commissioner’s introductory remarks laden with intimidation and arrogance, the spokesperson of the Branch Chairmen who also doubles as the
Chairman of Nnewi Branch, Mr. Tochukwu Anyaegbu in his opening remarks
appreciated the State Government for giving us fair hearing for the very first time. He went further to establish the fact that Barr. Titus Akpudo’s tenure had elapsed since June 30, 2021 with his last letter of recognition. One wonders why election has not been held in Eziowelle Improvement Union since 2021 despite our several written communications to that effect. Could it be that Mr. Commissioner has allowed his friendship with our former PG to becloud his sense of reasoning?
The spokesperson thereafter raised some fundamental constitutional issues that must be resolved as a harbinger to a free, fair, credible and transparent election of the union. One is the recognition of Eziowelle Improvement Union constitution (1992) as the only extant and substantive constitution of the union known to law.
Two is that the Emergency General Assembly, already established as provided for in Article XVI (c) and (d) of Eziowelle Improvement Union constitution (1992) be strictly adhered to and the election be conducted in partnership with this body as the only constitutionally recognized body in the union. He also appealed that the Emergency General Assembly being the only constitutionally
recognized organ of the union should be mandated by the State Government to draw up the guidelines and modalities for the conduct the union’s election.
Conclusively, he appealed to the State Government to jettison the rumoured insinuation and sentiments that a new constitution of the union was birthed in 2020.
The Branch Chairmen vehemently opposed it and dismissed the assertion as absolute falsehood, since the procedure for the amendment of community constitutions is clearly stated in the Fund For Rural Development (1991) and the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law (2017).There’s nothing wrong with keeping our constitution in tune with the current realities, but “Due Process” must be followed at all times to avoid the rule of one man which is tantamount to anarchy. In this, there was no approval from the State Government. Even if, there was, over ninety percent of the alleged Constitution Review Committee have denied knowledge of their participation in the process. This is attempted daylight deceit of the highest order. On the other hand, the spokesperson for Ubulu village, the only village that unjustifiably attended the meeting and one of the five constituent villages in Eziowelle community who our former PG, Barr. Titus Akpudo has promised the position of the President General of the union in the next election without recourse to the constitution of the union, made three requests;
One, that it’s the turn of their village, Ubulu to produce the next PG of the union.
Two, that the Branch Union should pay up their debts to the Mother Union.
Three, that the election be conducted using the delegate or collegiate system.
Conclusively, after back and forth, Mr. Commissioner gave three open – ended
directives;
One, that a 15 – Man Electoral Committee be set up in the following order;
. 5 Branch Chairmen.
. 5 persons (one each from the five constituent villages of Eziowelle).
.1 rep. from the Igwe in Council.
. 2 reps each from the two parties.
Frankly speaking, we don’t know the two parties.
The above directives by Mr. Commissioner was given without any specific parameters for selection which is likely going to cause another serious crisis in the community. Mr. Commissioner ended by ignorantly insisting that the only legitimate constitution of the union is the unapproved and Barr. Titus Akpudo doctored document of 2020.
We will definitely resist the incessant attempt by the Commissioner and Barr. Titus Akpudo to impose a strange constitution on Eziowelle community. We saw it coming, and we expressed our fear that we will not get justice from Mr. Commissioner due to his friendship with our former PG and we have been vindicated at last.
PRAYERS:
In the interest of justice and peace in Eziowelle community, we are again appealing to Mr. Governor to constitute a Panel of inquiry or a Committee of selected government officials headed by the Chief Law Officer of the State to carefully investigate the remote and immediate cause of the crisis in Eziowelle Improvement Union and proffer acceptable solutions to avoid unnecessary litigations and further escalation. Or in the alternative, the State Government should urgently recognize the Emergency General Assembly as the only constitutionally recognized organ of the union and mandate them to draw up the date and modalities for the conduct of the union’s election.
It is only right that Mr. Commissioner recuses himself from the matter since he has proven beyond all reasonable doubt that he has vested interest in this matter. The election already scheduled for 29/6/2024 runs contrary to the provisions of the constitution, and therefore should be put on hold until the aforementioned issues raised are properly addressed.
Yours faithfully
Ezenwa Azie
(Chairman EIU Abuja Branch)
08037356005
Tony Oraguii
(Chairman EIU Lagos Branch)
+2348066249243
Chiemezie Chukwuka
(Chairman EIU Onitsha Branch)
08037428895
CC:
- Hon. Speaker, Anambra State.
- Chief of Staff Anambra State.
- Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Anambra State.
- The Honourable Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and
Community Affairs. - Hon. Member, Representing Idemili North State Constituency ASHA
- The Special Adviser, Local Government Affairs.
