From Felix Ikem, Nsukka

There was a tense atmosphere at Nguru community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State at the weekend following a failed attempt by state government to inaugurate the community’s town union executives.

The community has been in crisis for years now following disagreement over election and inauguration of their town union executives.

Daily Sun gathered that the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had directed the Commissioner for Rural Development in the state, Chief Emeka Mamah to conduct the election and inaugurate the town union executive of Nguru community on or before the end of January follow protests and petitions to the state government by some aggrieved members of the community.

It would be recalled that the verification of delegates and election on town union executives was initially slated to hold on 3rd January but the crisis rocking the community prevented it from talking place.

Speaking with newsmen Prof Ike Onyishi, leader of the aggrieved members of the community said that the state government had fixed the election and inauguration of the town union executives members today.

“We want our community to be like others with functional town union, but regrettably our traditional ruler and his loyalists doesn’t want that to happen.

“The State Commissioner for Rural Development, Mamah had two mission in our community today, one is to verify villages that it’s delegates are yet to be verified, then after that election was to commence by 12 noon under his supervision.

“Delegate election was declared inconclusive in Amagu Uwani village which has two delegates. Agbani Nguru, a satellite settlement has one out of two delegates outstanding, but the election was also declared inconclusive.

“But the verification took longer than expected because some people wanted to prevent the commissioner from carrying out his duty but he explain to them that he was mandated by the state governor to do the verification and conduct the election so the commissioner first went to a Igwe’s palace and from there to the four remaining villages for verification of their delegates.

“we were patiently waiting at the community primary school in Nguru, venue of the election when formation came that the election would not hold again that the commissioner has abandoned the verification and the left following disagreements over choice of candidates by some of the villages,” he said.

Onyishi who is also Head of Department Psychology University of Nigeria, Nsukka added that does frustrating the election are the one benefiting from the chaotic situation in the community.

He however, warned troublemakers in the community to trade with caution, stressing that they may be standing on the way of an Executive Order by the State Governor who directed the commissioner to complete the election and inauguration of the town union executives of the community on or before the end of January, 2022.

The Traditional Ruler of the community, Igwe Linus Obayi, while reacting to the development confirmed that the commissioner was in the community for the verification of delegates and conduction of town union executive members election.

“Yes, the commissioner was in our community today to verify delegate and conduct town union executives election.

“We had earlier told him that selection of town union delegate as contained in the community constitution is solely for the eldest man in the village and the secretary.

“so what we agreed with the commissioner is that he’s going to the remaining four villages to confirm the candidate the eldest man and and the village secretary has endorsed.

“I heard that there were disagreements in three of the four remaining village that are yet to be verified, probably that was why the he left without conducting the election,” he said.

The Igwe who said he is determined to secure lasting peace in the community said further that the commissioner promised to attend their next peace meeting with representative of the aggrieved members of the community scheduled to hold today (Sunday).

When contacted, Mamah, the state commissioner for rural development said that the situation was rowdy following disagreements over candidates presented by the eldest man from some of the villages.

“The atmosphere was not conducive for me to continue with the verification of the candidates for election of town union executive in Nguru community.

“There was disagreement over the choice of candidates presented by the eldest man in some of the village, some of them were even fighting in my presence.

“When I get back to office I will analyse the situation and communicate back to them again because for now the environment is rowdy and not conducive to held election.

My concern is that the governor directed me to ensure inauguration of Nguru town union on or before January ending and some people are frustrating my efforts to do that,” he said. (Sunday Sun)

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