Joseph Albert, Awka
A Chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and community leader in Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Vincent Udobi has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to sack his Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne.
Chief Udobi alleged that reinstating and recognizing Mr. Uchenna Nwoye as the President General of Ifitedunu community by the Commissioner caused about seventy percent of problems therein, which he said Governor Soludo may not be well-informed about.
He said the Commissioner’s sack will help to save the image of the state and APGA ahead of the 2025 governorship election in Anambra, insisting that Nwabunwanne would truncate Soludo’s good intentions and by extension his reelection in 2025.
Chief Udobi accused the Commissioner of fomenting troubles virtually in every community in the state
He said Nwoye had since been impeached by the community as their PG, and alleged that he, Nwoye is an ex-convict, who constitutionally was not supposed to hold any public office.
He also accused Nwoye of constructing personal shops at the community’s Nkwo market, selling them at N2.5million each, and pocketing the proceeds.
He said “The decision to impeach Nwoye as the PG of the community was reached by the entire Community and chairmen of five villages namely, Obiezie, Ugbomili ,Akwa, Umualugo and Uguala, after several attempts to draw the commissioner’s attention to the fact that Nwoye is an ex-convict.”
Udobi noted that despite presenting credible evidence of the conviction of Nwoye by a Federal High court to Nwabunwanne, the Commissioner continued to recognize Nwoye as the PG of the community, just because they are personal friends.
He said the Commissioner was blocking the truth about the issue in Ifitedunu to the governor, adding, “Nwabunwanne is acting as judge, as police, and everything in this case.
Continuing, Udobi said,”We urge Governor Soludo to investigate our complaints laid before the Commissioner, because I dont know why he( Nwabunwanne) should be defending an ex-convict who is unfit to be the PG of Ifitedunu as clearly expressed in our constitution.
“The commissioner is not an interpreter of law but a mouth piece of the executive arm of government of Prof Charles Soludo .So Nwabunwanne telling us that Nwoye who was convicted for a criminal offence but granted bail is not an ex-convict even after we have rejected him as our PG on constitutional grounds, is questionable”
“I am not against Commissioner being friend with the former PG but he can’t jeopardize the peace and development of our community in the name of friendship with Uchenna Nwoye”
“Our governor is an intelligent man. But Nwabunwanne is blocking the truth to the governor because I know that the governor will not condone all these if the truth is known to him.
“I’m calling the governor to sack Nwabunwanne now to avert the danger this Commissioner will pose to his government in future. The governor deserves a reelection because he is doing well, but Nwabunwanne is fomenting trouble in virtually every community in the state and this is not good for the governor.
On the rumour making the round that he was contesting for Igweship position of the community, Udobi, disimiss the rumour, and noted that it was not the turn of his village to man the Igweship leadership.
But in a press briefing in Awka, ASATU National President, Barrister Titus Akpu, who commended achievements of Commissioner Nwabunwanne, said most communities in the state are now calm and experiencing peace under him.
On the Ifitedunu incident, where the PG was attacked and badly injured in the public, the ASATU National President called on relevant authorities who have been petitioned over the incident to expedite actions on investigation and punish those found culpable to serve as deterrent to others.
On his part, the Commissioner, Mr. Nwabunwanne, said the call for his sack was not necessary, noting that the constitution of Ifitedunu requires that the decision to sack an elected President-General must be taken in a general meeting supported by two-third of those present.
Quoting Ifitedunu constitution Nwabunwanne said Udobi was wrong to stand against Nwoye because he is covered by the community’s constitution.
He faulted actions taken against the President-General especially when he was assaulted in the market place by thugs allegedly brought by Udobi.
Nwabunwanne called on security agencies to take action and make the necessary arrests for peace to return to the community.
Reacting also, the embattled PG, Nwoye, denied the allegations levelled against him, insisting that he remained the PG, and that the village chairmen and BOT members have no power to impeach/remove him from office, according to the constitution of Ifitedunu community.