RAYMOND OZOJI reports
The Mayor of Anambra-East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Sir Ifeanyi Chinweze, has called on members of the public to disregard a purported statement by a certain group called Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum alleging leadership crisis in Umueri General Assembly (UGA).
Chinweze who spoke to this journalist exclusively concerning what he saw as blatant falsehood being propagated by the said group through a certain character in Malaysia acting as " Simon Ekpa" and causing disaffection amongst the people through fictitious and frivolous articles about Umueri community, maintained that Umueri is peaceful and plans have been concluded for the town union election to be conducted on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
Although the said statement from Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum signed by Chief Dan Ekwevi, Dr. Chinedu Ekweonu and Chief Obi Monulu, had accused the Mayor Hon. Ifeanyi Chinweze, the electoral committee chairman Barr. Eugene Aghaebe and the incumbent PG Chief John Metchie of allegedly scuttling the election process but the Mayor, who hails from Ivite-Umueri debunked the allegations, saying that Ikenga people were the ones frustrating conduct of the town union election with their avaricious attitudes and selfish disposition.
Chinweze said that Chief John Metchie and Barr. Eugene Aghaebe were innocent of the allegations levelled against them. That the crime he committed was because he insisted that Ikenga Quarters won't get PG position and at the same time get Secretary and VP positions at Otuocha, which is central to the three quarters of Umueri community viz Ezi, Ikenga and Ivite respectively.
Mayor Chinweze said he has made it categorically clear in writing to the appropriate authorities that Umueri General Assembly elections must be held this April against all odds. Though he was cognisant that it was the turn of Ikenga-Umueri to produce the next President-General of the community, but equally disagreed with the idea of Ikenga people still producing Secretary of the town union government in Otuocha where they are laying claim of being the original owners even though it belonged to the entire Umueri community.
He said it was the agents and hirelings of the Malaysian disgruntled element who were portraying Umueri community in bad lights on the social media aimed at creating a false impression of instability in the community, when such scenario doesn't exist at all.
Chinweze noted that the Malaysian character hasn't returned home for more than 15 years since he left Umueri land but his stock-in-trade is to cause confusion and rancour in Umueri through fake social media posts and sponsorship of discord, disunity and acrimonious tendencies through his agents and messengers of rifts.
The Anambra-East local government chairman who made case for equitable distribution of elective offices in Otuocha urban because it belonged to Umueri as a whole while Ikenga village produced the next President-General, said those participating in the election were not the ones with dissenting voices but an infinitesimal group of individuals dancing to the rhythm of the music being played by their kingpin currently in exile in Malaysia.
He said no quarter of Umueri community has been disenfranchised and that the state government has been sufficiently notified about the election scheduled to hold next week Wednesday.
Meanwhile the electoral community chairman Chief Barr. Eugene Aghaebe, who corroborated what the Mayor said, maintained that arrangements have been made for Umueri General Assembly elections to hold on April 8, this year.
Aghaebe vehemently affirmed that nothing will stop the election from holding because all the relevant authorities have been duly informed about it. Although he pointed out that some candidates were disqualified during the screening process, he insisted that nobody is scuttling the election as alleged by Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum.
According to him, the incumbent PG, Chief John Metchie, has made it abundantly clear that he doesn't wish to spend extra time in office as his tenure expires and he has insisted that the election must be conducted, emphasizing that the claim by Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum that some people were preventing U.G.A election from holding were lies from the pit of hell.
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