Awka, Tony OkaforIn Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Vincent Udobi, a prominent figure within the Ifitedunu community, has called upon Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to dismiss his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Collins Nwabunwanne.
Udobi asserted that Nwabunwanne’s actions would undermine Soludo’s positive objectives, and potentially impact his re-election bid in 2025. According to Udobi, the Commissioner has instigated conflicts in various communities across the state.
Udobi’s concerns stem from the ongoing crisis in Ifetedunu, where he accused Nwabunwanne of displaying favoritism by selecting Uchenna Nwoye as the President General (PG) of the community, against the collective wishes of the people.He claimed that Nwoye had been removed from his position as PG by the community, alleging that Nwoye’s prior criminal conviction rendered him ineligible for any public office. Furthermore, he accused Nwoye of constructing personal shops at the community’s Nkwo market, spelling them for N2.5 million each, and pocketing the proceeds.
Udobi emphasized that the decision to impeach Nwoye as PG was made by the entire town and the chairpersons of five villages, including Obiezie, Ugbomili, Akwa, Umualugo, and Uguala. Despite presenting concrete evidence of Nwoye’s conviction from a Federal High Court to Nwabunwanne, the Commissioner continued to recognize Nwoye as the PG, presumably due to their personal friendship.Udobi asserted that Nwabunwanne’s actions are obstructing the truth about the situation in Ifetedunu from reaching the governor. He criticized the Commissioner for assuming the roles of judge, police, and more in this case.
Udobi stated, “We implore Governor Soludo to investigate our grievances that we presented to the Commissioner, because I fail to comprehend why Nwabunwanne would defend an ex-convict who is constitutionally unfit to be the PG of Ifitedunu as explicitly stated in our constitution.” He continued, “The Commissioner isn’t an interpreter of the law but rather a representative of the executive arm of Prof Charles Soludo’s government. Nwabunwanne’s assertion that Nwoye, who was convicted for a criminal offense but granted bail, isn’t an ex-convict, even after we have rejected him as our PG on constitutional grounds, raises questions.”Udobi clarified that his concern isn’t about the Commissioner’s friendship with the former PG, but rather about the potential disruption to the community’s peace and progress due to Nwoye’s actions.
Addressing Governor Soludo directly, Udobi said, “Our governor is a perceptive man. However, Nwabunwanne is obstructing the truth from reaching the governor’s attention. I am confident that the governor wouldn’t condone these actions if he were aware of the facts.” “I am appealing to the governor to relieve Nwabunwanne of his duties to avert the potential harm this Commissioner could pose in the future. The governor deserves re-election due to his commendable efforts, but Nwabunwanne’s involvement in conflicts within various communities across the state is detrimental to the governor’s reputation.”
In response, Nwoye refuted the allegations against him, maintaining his stance as the PG and asserting that village chairpersons and the Board of Trustees lack the authority to impeach or remove him based on the constitution.
About Author
