…Group alleges 22-year concealment of registered constitution
..Dispute over rotational principle, five-year tenure of Ikenge
...Cabinet scribe distances self, blames PG’s kinsmen
By Steve Oko
A leadership crisis has erupted in Eziowa, Aguobu Owa Autonomous Community, Ezeagu Central Local Government Area of Enugu State, over the interpretation of the community’s constitution and the emergence of a new President-General of its Town Union.
The crisis centres on allegations by a group, Concerned People of Eziowa, that a part of the community’s constitution, registered on February 8, 2004, was kept away from the people for about 22 years, resulting in disagreements over leadership succession and the tenure of traditional and town union office holders.
The group, in a statement signed by Ozo Dr Ejike Orji on its behalf, alleged that a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the constitution initially made available to the community did not contain Page 23, which it said contains provisions governing the tenure and selection of members of the Igwe’s Cabinet and the office of Ikenge.
It said a subsequent search at the Enugu State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs enabled it to obtain another certified copy containing the disputed page.
According to the group, the provisions of Page 23 stipulate a five-year review of the tenure of members of the Igwe’s Cabinet and provide for rotational occupation of the office of Ikenge among the community’s three villages, excluding the village that produces the reigning traditional ruler.
It alleged that the office of Ikenge had remained with one individual beyond the stipulated period, arguing that the position was due for rotation between Ezema and Umudim villages.
The group also cited Article Seven (1) of Page 12 of the constitution, which it said provides for a four-year tenure for the President-General and other Town Union executive members.
It maintained that, following the expiration of the tenure of the previous executive in 2024, the process of electing a successor commenced in line with the constitutional provisions.
According to the statement, Ezema Village, which it claimed was next in line to produce the President-General, constituted an electoral committee that conducted elections into the positions allocated to the village and announced the winners.
However, the group alleged that disagreement arose after some stakeholders accepted the outcome of the village electoral committee in respect of other positions but rejected its choice of candidate for the office of President-General.
It claimed that some stakeholders were insisting on a different candidate and had approached the state ministry over recognition of their preferred choice.
The group, however, maintained that its preferred candidate emerged through the process prescribed by the community’s constitution.
It further claimed that the newly elected President-General had been inaugurated, alongside other members of the Town Union executive, and that the new leadership had been presented to the state government in accordance with the constitutional provisions.
The statement said the new executives had also been taken to the Town Union office at Umudim Road, Ugwu Afor, Aguobu Owa.
Meanwhile, the group disclosed that the dispute had been referred to the police for investigation through the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, at the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Oji River Area Command.
It appealed to residents of the community to remain calm and law-abiding while the matter was being investigated.
The group said its position was anchored on respect for the community’s constitution and called for adherence to its provisions in resolving the leadership disagreement.
When contacted for a response, the Secretary to Igwe and Cabinet, Professor Hyacinth Chiegwu, told Vanguard that he had no hand in the allegations, adding that the said village to produce the the President General is the problem of itself.
Igwe’s secretary distances self from leadership crisis
The Secretary to the Igwe and Cabinet, Professor Hyacinth Chiegwu, has distanced himself from the leadership crisis rocking Eziowa community, insisting that the controversy surrounding the emergence of its President-General is an internal village affair.
Chiegwu, who spoke with Vanguard when contacted for his reaction, said he had neither participated in nor had detailed knowledge of the alleged irregularities surrounding the said missing article in the community’s constitution , and installation of the President-General.
Although he confirmed that he was the Secretary to the Igwe and Cabinet, he said he had not been actively involved in the affairs of the body for a long time and had already handed over all relevant documents to the necessary parties.
“My brother, I’m happy you called. Yes, I’m the Secretary, but to be sincere, I have not been going there for a long time. I gave them all the documents,” he said.
On the demand for the community’s constitution and allegations that a particular article had been removed or torn out, Chiegwu said he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding its drafting, custody or alleged mutilation.
“I didn’t know when the constitution was written. Since I became Secretary, we have never used it. I have never even seen the constitution. It was written before I joined, and there has never been any occasion that required its use for me to see it,” he said.
He further insisted that he had not obstructed anybody in the process of installing the President-General, stressing that the disagreement was peculiar to the village concerned.
“Whatever is happening about the installation of the PG is the problem of that particular village, not anybody else. To the best of my knowledge, I have never disturbed anybody,” he maintained.
The secretary also expressed surprise at being drawn into the controversy, saying he had repeatedly told the person demanding documents from him that he had no knowledge of the issues being raised.
“I told him not to involve me in what I do not know. I don’t know anything about those things, but he keeps calling me,” he added.
Chiegwu said he had heard that a candidate from the village had already been installed and sworn in as President-General, although he was not present at the ceremony.
“I even learnt that the person from that village has already been installed and sworn in, even though I wasn’t there. Is anybody preventing him from functioning as PG? If so, he should let me know, because all these are things I only heard about. I don’t know what is happening,” he said.
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