As well-meaning Imo stakeholders and people across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria continue to shower praises on Governor Hope Uzodimma over steady decline in crimes and insecurity in the state, an active and analytical human rights group under the aegis of SAFE WAY To JUSTICE, has accused the member for Owerri West state constituency and majority leader of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi of being the brain behind newly erupted Ezeship issue in Ndegwu Community of Owerri West.
The group in a statement in Owerri, recalled that prior to a frivolous petition by a group of hungry and unpatriotic persons sponsored by greedy politicians to do a dirty job under the platform of Ndegwu Community stakeholders, there had been an Eze-elect who was chosen through due process, in the person of Chief Nicholas Ishiuba Ojinnaka.
Drawing the attention of government to the fact that Chief Nicholas Ishiuba Ojinnaka had been and recognised by Ndegwu Community, Owerri West local government and beyond, as the Eze-elect of the community for over two years, the human rights group alleged that the petition to Imo State House of Assembly by the so-called Ndegwu stakeholders emanated from failure of the popular Ndegwu Eze-elect, Ojinnaka to meet unwholesome demands of some persons who now see themselves as the gods that must be worshipped in Owerri West local government area.
” We want to remind Rt Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi that the Ndegwu Community Eze-elect, Chief Nicholas Ishiuba Ojinnaka had become the community’s Eze-elect before he (Kanayo Onyemaechi) was re-elected into office as house of assembly member for Owerri West in 2023. We want to also remind him that he got his greatest number of votes from Ndegwu because, he reached agreement with youths of the community, promising to fast track processes for the granting of autonomy to Ndegwu and issuance of staff of office to the Eze-elect, Nicholas Ojinnaka. It is quite bizarre, most astonishing, embarrassing and extremely callous that rather than fulfill his electioneering campaign promise to indigenes and youths of Ndegwu Community, the house of assembly member, Kanayo Onyemaechi has turned a camellion and now, wants to bite off the finger that fed him”, the group stated.
Continuing, the human rights group in a statement endorsed by its National President, Comrade Okeosisi Nwafor, told the Ndegwu petitioner stakeholders and their half-educated sponsors to simply go back to school and be taught that having an Eze-elect that emerged under a peaceful atmosphere is one of the pre-conditons for granting autonomy to any community desirous of autonomous status. Their argument that there should not exist an Eze-elect as Ndegwu Community is yet to achieve autonomous status is the ranting of an ant and a product of crash ignorance and lack of proper enlightenment on such issues. Imo State Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Laws of 2015 as amended is very clear on this”
“‘We therefore, appeal and advise Rt Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi not to use his exalted position as Majority Leader of Imo State House of Assembly to mess up Ndegwu Community. He should stop his inglorious journey of trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in Ndegwu as the people will never forgive him”
” We recall that Kanayo Onyemaechi scheduled a meeting with Ndegwu youths, following the petition against the Eze-elect, Nicholas Ojinnaka by those working for him but, disappointed the youths by not showing up in his office at the Imo house of assembly to talk with them. The majority leader should be held responsible for whatever evil that occurs in Ndegwu Community”, the human rights group concluded
