…Cites security concerns

By Steve Oko

After months of ezeship tussle, High Chief Okechukwu Nwaubani, emerged the Eze-elect of Nkwoachara Autonomous Community in Ohuhu clan of Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.

The throne became vacant in 2021 following the death of the former traditional ruler, HRH Eze Daniel Okezie.

Nwaubani cleared all 90 delegate-votes cast to emerge the winner of the contest held amid tight security at the Umuahia Council headquarters.

His major challenger, Bishop Nwandu Onuoha, and his Umuire kinsmen, however, refused to participate in the exercise even though they were at the venue.

He vowed to contest the outcome of the exercise in the court.

Four villages – Umuire, Umunkaru, Umuyota and Umuaram make up Nkwoachara Autonomous Community.

Each of the villages was represented at the poll by 30 delegates but Umuire village pulled out, arguing that instead of delegates every eligible adult should have been allowed to vote.

Following the tension and security concerns surrounding the ezeship tussle, the Abia State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, decided to hold the election at the Umuahia North council headquarters.

The Director, Planning, Research and Statistics in the Ministry, Mr Godwin Kanu who supervised the conduct of the poll, told Vanguard that the Ministry decided on a neutral ground for the election in the interest of peace.

He said the Ministry received various complaints about how the candidates laying claims to the royal stool were selected, but decided to nullify the process and fixed a fresh election in a neutral ground so it could monitor the exercise for transparency.

The Director who said the Permanent Secretary decided to stay away from the exercise because of personal threats she received, explained that the Ministry had no preferred candidate but was only interested in due process and peaceful election.

He said the Ministry had earlier convened a meeting of stakeholders including the lawmaker representing the constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinasa Abiola.

The Director said that it was the decision of the Ministry that each of the four villages would be represented by 30 delegates, a suggestion other villages except Umuire embraced.

He, however, insisted that the Ministry had no option but to proceed with the election under the full view of the locals who thronged out at the council headquarters to witness the exercise.

Earlier in an interview, the Secretary General of the Community, Chief Darlington Ogwuru, said that the election was supposed to hold at Orieamaenyi at Umuawa Alike, according to tradition but for security concerns, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs decided to supervise the exercise at a neutral ground.

He said that one of the contestants was not duly selected, hence his rejection and the ensuing squabble but commended the Ministry for wading in.

Chief Ogwuru said the people were satisfied with the idea of holding the election at the council headquarters in the full view of everybody, and would accept and support whoever that emerged from a transparent process.

Reacting after he was declared the Eze-elect, Chief Nwaubani, promised to protect the general interest of the entire community.

He commended the delegates for reposing confidence in him, and promised not to disappoint the community.

The Eze-elect who also promised to advance the cause of the youths, appealed to his opponent to join him in developing the community.

Addressing the crowd earlier, Hon. Abiola sued for peace, urging them to place the collective interest of the community above personal interest.