Maduako Igbokwe l Monday, November 30, 2020
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Over 1000 men and women from Ndiowu Community in Orumba North Local Government Area, Anambra State on Monday staged a peaceful protest to Government House, Awka against House member representing Orumba North Constituency at the State House of Assembly Hon. Emeka Aforka and others for holding the community to ransom.
The community had during the protest accused Hon Aforka , deputy majority leader of holding Ndiowu community to ransom and embezzling community funds meant for “ Chose Your Project” initiative as well as using his government’s connection to frustrate peace and development in Ndiowu.
Speaking Government House Agu Awka, Anambra State capital, Mr Ikechukwu Orji said Aforka has been leading some people to enslave the community and thereby endangering development.
“We want government to know what is happening in Ndiowu community .They are maltreating us.Our elected officers in the government are maltreating us. They instituted caretaker committee to organise town union elections in three months but the caretaker committee is now five years, frustrating every effort at conducting election.
“They have cancelled three peaceful elections conducted in the community because their preferred candidates did not emerge. Government should come to Ndiowu and rescue us from the hands of the cabals holding the community down” he said.
Also speaking, Youth leader of the community, Obiora Mgbemene said that they were in the government house to appeal to governor Willie Obiano to quickly intervene before things get out of hands in the community. According to him, Ndiowu community youths can no longer fold their hands and watch Hon Aforka holding the community to ransom.
” The rich men in the community led by Hon Aforka are humiliating us. Several town union elections were conducted and were cancelled because the community elected it’s choice which the cabals did not like. All the government money for “Chose Your Project” initiative in the community were not accounted for. If government refused to intervene quickly and rescue the community from the cabal,the youths may resort yo self help to save the community” he said.
A statement jointly signed by the Youth leader Obiora Mgbemene and Secretary Orji Onyeka they said that after several meeting and deliberations on the happening in their town,the entire members of Ndiowu considered it important to formally stage a peaceful protest to the government House to let the governor know about the unpleasant situation.
“The self styled cabal led by Hon Emeka Aforka had boasted repeatedly that their high network connection in the state House,no matter the number of times those elections were conducted,that they will scuttle it through their powerful contacts in the state house unless their imposed and anointed candidate emerged as president general”they said.
They also appealed to the government to acknowledge the town unions executive duly elected by the community on 26th December 2019 by the majority of Ndiowu people.The Youth leaders also called for government independent investigation to unravel the true cost of the renovation of Ndiowu town hall and also to identify and caution self styled cabal threatening the peace of the community.
They also called for government to intervene and ensure that peace reign supreme in the community. Addressing the protesters,the Secretary to Anambra State government Dr. Solo Chukwulobelu assured them that their demands would be urgently look into by the state government.
He also promised to minutes their case to Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for prompt actions. The SSG also commended the community for it’s peaceful protest, saying that community has been peaceful all these years.
“The government will not intervene on who become your leader. Please let there be peaceful in your community” he said
Reacting,the Deputy Majority Leader Chief Emeka Aforka denied hijacking the town union and misappropriation of community project funds. According to him,the allegation that he imposed a caretaker executive on his home town Ndiowu Town Union was unfounded.
Aforka contended that one Engr Chike Emenike who had been in power as the President General of the Community for two terms of four years has refused to conduct election as directed by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
“He refused to conduct election and went ahead to submit a list of names claiming that they are elected executive of the community” he said. He said Emenike also went to court at Ekwulobia High Court and obtained a judgement against him and quickly rushed to the Appeal Court where the case is still pending.
According to him, due to the pending court case the community still have caretaker executive. “Government chooses the contractor for the project and I do not have any hand in the project so they should petition the contractor or the building Committee or better still the current executive over the project”he said.
