Indigenes of Nawfia Community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State have called on the state Governor, Charles Soludo, to intervene over the lingering leadership crisis rocking the Nawfia Progressive Union (NPU).
The community also passed a vote of confidence in its traditional ruler, Igwe Dr. Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle, the President General of NPU, Mr. Daniel Okoye and other executive members of the union.
The people made this known during a solidarity rally in the Nawfia Civic Center on Thursday against a High Court judgement that was delivered on January 30th, 2024 in favour of the past President General of the community, Sir Nathan Enemuo, whose tenure expired in April 2022.
Some of their requests via voices read, “Sir Nathan Enemuo must not come back, “We want Daniel Okoye led-Town Union or nothing; Governor Chukwuma Soludo, we know you for your uprightness, please come to our rescue, we are in peace with Igwe Obelle, our PG, Daniel Okoye and other executives of NPU, among others.”
The leader of the protest, Chief Uche Aghamba (Ezennia) said the objective of rally which enjoyed massive turnout of the youth, the men and the women of Nawfia was to show the Anambra state government, Njikoka Council Area, Nawfia Community and the general public the dissatisfaction over Enemuo’s refusal to allow the town union executive led by Mr. Okoye to function properly for the sake of peace and unity of the town.
According to Aghamba, the absence of a peaceful town union will stall the unprecedented development, peace and harmony the community has enjoyed in the past twenty-two months. He stated that it will also deny the town representation on many occasions at the local and state government levels.
“Sir Enemuo and his group have refused to allow town union members elected by the community two years ago to function properly.
“Our assembly here, in Nawfia community civic center today, is to inform the public that we are very much Okay with the leadership style of Igwe Obelle and the PG, Mr. Okoye in piloting the affairs of the town.
“Since the coming of Igwe Obelle and the President General, Mr Okoye as leaders two years ago, the people of Nawfia community have been living in peace and harmony.
“We don’t want what happened sometime ago that led to unwanted killings and destruction of properties worth millions of naira to happen again in our community.
“So, we are passionately appealing to the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo to please urgently intervene in the matter to avoid breakdown of law and order,” Chief Aghamba appealed.
In their separate speech, the community youth leader, Comrade Obinna Okafor and Umuada President General worldwide, Mrs Uju Nwoye, appealed to Mr. Enemou to step down his action and work with the current leadership of the town for the good of all.
Igwe Obelle, in his brief comment, revealed that Mr. Enemuo was elected officially in 2019 and his tenure expired in 2022 in line with the community’s constitution that provides a 3-year term for President General’s position. “Therefore, Sir Enemuo’s return on the basis of his 2019 election will be unconstitutional, which the community has vowed to resist with appeal to the Court of Appeal Awka.”
While also calling for the government’s urgent intervention, the monarch assured Governor Soludo of his continued support of his dream of making Anambra a prosperous, livable and technologically sound state in Nigeria.
The rally was massively attended by indigenes residing in Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri and Aba respectively.
