A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress APC and aspirant for the Imo East senatorial zone, Chief Mike Nwachukwu (Mpi Dike) has expressed reservation about what he referred to as the lopsided and discriminatory manner of appointments of members of the Management Committee of the newly created Owerri East Development Centre.
Nwachukwu an experienced former banker and astute politician who hails from Egbelu Obube in Owerri North local government area from where Owerri East Development Centre was carved out wondered why out of the seven members of the Interim Management Committee of the new Development Centre, two are from Chief Henry Njoku (Harritex’s) village, Umuovum, Ulakwo, while two are from Prince Alex Mbata’s village, Ngwoma, Obube while one person is from Agbala and the seventh slot was ceded to Harritex’s political son Aneme Innocent who is not an indigene of Ulakwo but has spent virtually all his adult life in Ulakwo.
Mpi Dike as popularly called who stated this in a release he personally signed, said, “my dear brother’s Chief Henry Njoku (Harritex) / Prince Alex Mbata, top of the day.
“Both of you are obviously very close to the levers of power in Imo State and therefore undoubtedly submitted the list of those appointed to the Owerri East Development Centre.
“It is therefore very imperative that both of you explain to nde Emekuku / Emii Bloc and OAU / Obibiezena Bloc how this patently “selfish and self – centred distribution of appointments to the OWERRI EAST DEVELOPMENT CENTRE was engineered!!!
Owerri East Development Centre is made up of 2 Political Blocs as follows:
Emekuku / Emii Bloc (Emekuku Ward 1, Emekuku Ward 2 and Emii Ward) with six (6) Autonomous Communities
OAU / Obibiezena Bloc (OAU Ward and Obibiezena Obibiezena Ward) with five (5) Autonomous Communities.
Is it not ridiculous and a shame that out of seven (7) positions, Ulakwo has 3 (with Harritex’s village – Umuovum alone providing 2 positions with the 3rd one going to his “boy” – Innocent Anaeme, aka Poko, who though not from Ulakwo has lived virtually all his life in Ulakwo) followed closely by Ngwoma (Prince Alex’s village) taking 2 positions!
Meanwhile Agbala on whose land the Development Centre is sitting on has only 1, while Obibiezena the other half of OAU / Obibiezena Bloc has just 1 member with none going to Emekuku / Emii Bloc.
And so out of seven positions meant for two political bloc’s in Owerri, you, my two brothers – Harritex and Prince Alex Mbata appropriated a whopping 5 (71.43%) – 3 for Harritex and 2 for Alex!
Is what has happened here not a classic case of: “ME, MYSELF AND I” syndrome?
So, Harritex my brother, if God in His Infinite and Abundance chooses to make Prince Alex Mbata the Senator, representing Imo East Senatorial District come 2023, this is how you, as the Chairman of his Campaign Council will advise him to allocate the resources that find their way or consciously drawn to Imo East? And Alex, if he offers you such advise you’ll take it without thinking through, the ramifications and consequences?
If Ndaa Lemmy or his protege – Aririerimba, did this type of thing both of you’ll cry blue murder and begin to arrange emergency Owerri Summit’s to discuss and address the issues and that’ll become the talk of the town!
Just, ordinary composition of Owerri East Development Centre and two of you as close allies of His Excellency, could not manage the distribution of offices in such a way and manner that will be reflective of the disparate and contending political blocs, wards and communities in our Development Centre! Haba!
If the two of you cannot manage the distribution of political patronage / offices belonging to 5 political wards that make up Owerri East Development Centre – Emekuku Ward 1, Emekuku Ward 2, Emii Ward, OAU Ward, and Obibiezena Ward, how then can you manage the distribution / allocation of resources and political patronage in the 104 political wards that make up Imo East Senatorial District?
So much for “political leadership “If both of you know what is good for Owerri East Development Centre, better get back to His Excellency, apologies to him, and withdraw that list and do the proper thing that will reflect the constitution of Owerri East Development Centre as follows:
Emekuku / Emii Bloc (Emekuku Ward 1, Emekuku Ward 2 and Emii Ward) with six (6) Autonomous Communities
OAU / Obibiezena Bloc (OAU Ward and Obibiezena Obibiezena Ward) with five (5) Autonomous Communities”.
When contacted, the media adviser to Chief Alex Mbata, Innocent Onyeukwu said the report is untrue.
According to him,the allegations are mere concotions, because the nomination and appointment of members of the Owerri East Development Centre, is not the sole right of Prince Mbata and Chief Henry Njoku (Harritex), adding that the the process is a collective duty of stakeholders in the area, and which the Governor has the final approval.
