Fides Media Living the Faith
By Jude Atupulazi
A stakeholder in Ifitedunu Community, Dunukofia LGA of Anambra State, High Chief Dr Vincent Udobi, has decried the activities of a commissioner in the Prof Chukwuma Soludo Administration, accusing him of fueling the crisis in the community.
Udobi levelled this accusation at a press briefing with newsmen in his country home in Ifitedunu.
Udobi regretted that despite the conviction of the town’s President General, Mr Uchenna Nwoye, by a court which led to the previous regime of Willie Obiano removing him as the PG, Hon Tony Collins Nwabunwanne reinstated him on assuming office. Nwabunwanne is Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters in the Soludo Government.
A visibly bitter Udobi who said he had invested heavy resources in his community, accused Nwabunwanne of aiding Nwoye in destabilizing Ifitedunu even after the latter had been impeached by the community for unbecoming actions such as selling market stalls for N2.5m each and pocketing the money.
Udoba who also accused Nwoye of taking unilateral decisions in the community, recalled how some members of the community had taken Nwoye to court after what Udobi described as a flawed election that produced Nwoye.
He said at a stage, a billionaire business man, Chief Arthur Eze, had summoned the two camps and sued for peace which, Udobi said, made them to withdraw the court case against Nwoye.
He however said Nwoye ran to the court to procure a judgement even when he had already been convicted.
Accusing Nwoye of instigating crisis in the town, Udobi said it was only possible because of the covering fire supplied by the commissioner for Nwoye.
He wondered why the commissioner went ahead to reinstate Nwoye despite all the complaints surrounding him and called on Gov Soludo to remove the commissioner in order to rescue the community from bondage.
This is even as Udobi made it clear that there was only one traditional ruler in the town in the person of Igwe Dr Emeka Ilouno. He said the clarification became necessary against the rumours that he was parading himself as the town’s monarch.
Reacting, Nwoye, denied the allegations levelled against him, insisting that he remained the PG and that the village chairmen and BOT had no power to impeach/remove him according to the constitution.
In a sharp reaction, the Commissioner for Local Government, Town Union and Chieftaincy Matters dismissed the allegations by Udobi, promising to provide documents to show that the allegations were unfounded.