The embattled traditional ruler of Obinugwu autonomous community in Orlu LGA of Imo state, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, yesterday declared that Governor Rochas Okorocha has no right or power to banish him.

He said he remained the monarch of his community and chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers in concomitance with the law and the unanimous wish of Obinugwu.

In a statement issued in Owerri yesterday by his media consultant Kennedy Ewueama, Ilomuanya said that Obinugwu Community had Eze Ilomuanya as their one and only monarch affirmed by several courts, including the Supreme Court.

He said: “Governor Okorocha has no right or power whatsoever to banish any Imo citizen, talk less of a highly revered monarch of Eze Ilomuanya’s status.”

Ilomuanya said the sanctity and dignity of the traditional institution in Imo State had been eroded under Okorocha, and appealed to the federal authorities to call him to order.

He implored the public to disregard the media reports credited to Governor Okorocha on the issue “as they only amounted to playing to the gallery.”

Governor Rochas Okorocha had during the last media chat at the Government House in Owerri declared that he would arrest and banish Ilomuanya if he went about parading himself as a traditional ruler in Imo State because Ilomuanya had for long ceased to be a traditional ruler following his removal by the state government.

•Text courtesy of Daily Trust.

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