By Praise Chinecherem
An octogenarian and Coordinator of past Presidents General of town unions in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Jasper Azodo, has appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to order a free, fair and credible election in Ifitedunu town.
Chief Azodo in Save Our Soul (SOS) message sent to the Governor and made available to reporters, said such intervention would avert the impending crisis rocking the area.
He accused Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Collins Nwabunwanne of working for the sacked President -General of the community, Chief Uchenna Okoye Orangwuncha.
Azodo disclosed that a delegation of the town he led to see the Chief of Staff assured them that the Governor had directed the issue of town union Caretaker Committees be discontinued in the State.
He said the Chief of Staff referred them to the Hon. Commissioner for Local Government and Town Union matters.
He said, “Unfortunately, we found out to our utter surprise that the Commissioner is working for the sacked PG and has assured him that he will return him as the PG of Ifitedunu based on a letter he wrote to the Commissioner.
“We were not put on notice on the petition by the former PG even when the Commissioner was boasting that he would restore the sacked PG.”
The Commissioner was said to have claimed that the S.A. to the Governor on Town Unions Matters legal, had recommended that the sacked PG be returned, a claim the S.A. to the Governor has stoutly denied.
“Nobody was put on notice, neither did they write the villagers or the elders, the leaders, Board of Trustees (BoT). The Commissioner now went on to brag that he will restore the sacked PG because he is his friend and that his removal was illegal even without hearing from the other parties” said Chief Azodo.
Reacting, the Commissioner however denied working for any particular individual in Ifitedunu, but insisted he was working hard to restore peace in the community just like any other community in the State in line with the policy of this administration.
He said there were white paper and court judgments not only exonerating the former President-General but also directing that he should be reinstated.
“I can’t force the former President-General to go for fresh election when there is a court judgment ordering that he should complete his tenure,” he noted.
But Chief Azodo described as unfortunate the fact that a highly placed official of the State Government would descend so low to settle his friend in a matter involving entire community which he suppose to discharge without sentiment but ensure justice and fairness to all.
He said it is impossible for the sacked chairman to regain his seat after the community had found him guilty and the State Government investigated and confirmed all the charges in which he was found guilty.,which led to his certificate being withdrawn.
“Even before he was sacked, Chief Okoye had started leading the community with impunity, and without calling anybody for meetings.
He said there have been three different Caretaker Committees, each lasting three months since Okoye was sacked, asking how can he come back again if not to cause breach of peace and unnecessary crisis in the town.
Azodo said “we were however disappointed that the Honorable Commissioner who felt he was more informed about Ifitedunu matters better than some of us actually tried to persuade us, to jettison our approved constitution when they eventually saw him. He forgot our constitution was approved by the Anambra State Government and specifically by his office”.
He alleged that there was an attempt by the Commissioner to reinstate the removed president general who presided over unimaginable mayhem and bloodshed never before experienced in Ifitedunu.
He went on to say that the Hon Commissioner even pleaded with them that the removed President General be allowed to return back and stay in office for just six months because the former PG is his friend.
Azodo said the Commissioner was taking these steps without asking why the state Government removed his friend in the first place and replaced his regime with Caretaker committee .
The octogenerian pleaded with the Governor to ensure their prayers was answered positively to ensure peace in the town.
“Please to ensure that there is peace in Ifitedunu, direct that a credible election be conducted in the town based on option A4 in line with the approved town union constitution approved by the Anambra State Government” Chief Azodo appealed to the Governor.
