By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Collins Nwabunwanne, has urged those fomenting trouble in Ifitedunu community in the Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state to respect the decisions of the elders of the area.
He said the elders of the area led by oil mogul, Chief Arthur Eze, had sat and resolved that the warring factions should sheathe their swords to allow peace to reign in Ifetedunu.
Nwabunwanne stated this at a press conference in his office at Government House, Awka, the Anambra State capital on Thursday.
The Commissioner’s reaction followed
an allegation of bias levelled against him by a prominent leader of the area , Chief Vincent Udobi.
Udobi had accused the Commissioner of instigating the crisis in Ifitedunu, asking the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to sack him( Nwabunwanne).
While Udobi accused Nwabunwanne of being the cause of the crisis in Ifetedunu, Nwabunwanne said Udobi was using his wealth and contacts to destabilise the community.
Ifitedunu Community has been embroiled in crisis involving the President-General Uchenna Nwoye who Udobi and others accused of being an ex-convict and as such was not eligible to continue to lead the community.
Udobi said Nwoye was convicted and removed as the PG of the community before Governor Soludo came into office but Nwabunwanne reinstated him on frivolous ground of being his personal friend when Soludo became governor, despitebeing disowned by the village chairmen of the community.
But at Nwabunwanne at the press conference on Thursday said government would not support an arbitrary removal of any community leader in the state.
He said Ifetedunu constitution stipulated conditions by which a PG could be removed from office which he said required a general meeting supported by two-third of those present.
He said Udobi was wrong to stand against Nwoye because the community’s constitution was not violated in any way .
The Commissioner faulted the actions taken against Nwoye especially when he( Nwoye) was assaulted at the community’s market place by thugs suspected to be sponsored by Udobi.
Nwabunwanne called on security agencies to take necessarily actions as required by law and call Udobi to order.
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