Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Public Petitions chaired by
Hon. Obi Nweke has adjourned the case brought by a select few from Amakor village, Nanka in Orumba North Council Area, against the traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin Ezeilo, and the President General, Reverend Canon John Ezeike over alleged involvement in illegal sand mining in the village.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
the petitioners, under the auspices of Amakor Njikoka Development Union, alleged that the traditional ruler engaged in sand mining contrary to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive, which banned illegal sand mining at Nanka gully erosion site and the removal of a security gate leading to the mining site.
However, during the case presentation, the main issue appeared to be that the accusation was aggression of the petitioners for wrongful denial of the position of Traditional Prime Minister to Amakor village by Igwe Ezeilo.
In his case presentation, a stakeholder in Nanka Barrister Emma Iloh, said Amakor village has suffered monumental injustice at the hands of the traditional ruler and through Nanka Patriotic Union, alleging misuse of power by the traditional ruler.
In response, Igwe Ezeilo described the allegations as false, malicious, and defamatory, stating that the poor condition of the road makes mining impossible and that the accusations against him are unfounded.
Regarding the appointment of the Traditional Prime Minister, Igwe Ezeilo stated that the process followed the communities constitution, and the petitioners have no right to dictate the selection process, which is a matter for the royal cabinet and council.
The President General of the Nanka Patriotic Union, Reverend Canon Ezeike criticized the few individuals urging the aggrieved parties to resolve their issues amicably, insisting that no excavation is occurring in the community.
The Vice President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, dismissed the sand mining allegations against Igwe Ezeilo as false, adding that he would have personally reported the Igwe if the claims were true.
Speaking, the immediate Past President of Amakor village, Chief Emma Obi Ekwunie stated that the accusations against the Igwe were baseless and affirmed that the election of the current Prime Minister was fair such that the winner was voted by his contender.
In an interview with reporters after the adjournment a stakeholder in Nanka
Barr. Emma Iloh said the essence of the petition is because of the injustice pepatuate by Igwe Nanka and the union.
“Nanka has seven villages and our petition has to do with the irregularities surrounding the selection of Onowo Nanka.
“Three villages out of the seven have produced Igwe, and when it is the turn of my village to produce Onowo, they brought someone which is against the constitution.
“The processes is clearly stipulated in section 23 of our constitution. We believe that it is our right (4th village) to produce the next Onowo.
“Our Onowo candidate has meet the required qualifications (minimum of O’level), submitted his documents and passed the screening.
“We wrote a letter stating that we will have nothing to do with them again until they give us what belongs to us. They crowned their preferred candidate in 2019 and we went to court. We need justice because they disobeyed court orders”. Iloh concluded.
