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From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The leadership crisis over the office of the President-General of Oba Patriotic Union (OPU) in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State has divided the community into two parallel camps, a situation that has attracted the state government intervention.
A camp known as concerned citizens had insisted that a Rev Chris Emelie-led executive of the town Union had expired and should give way for a fresh election.
Consequently, the office of the Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, our Correspondent was told, had to set up a 10-man caretaker committee whose membership was drawn from the nine villages that make up the Oba community.
The caretaker committee was said to have been already inaugurated with Sir Osita Ubadi as its Chairman including Nze Dozie Nweke and Chuba Oranusi Esq as members to run for six months.
Speaking on the inauguration of the interim administration and its terms of reference, Sir Ubadi described it as a sensitive assignment to bring peace to Oba.
“Our mandate is to see that peace reigns in Oba and to create an enabling environment to conduct an election of the OPU. This is authorised and constituted by the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
“We are to run the affairs of Oba between now and December 2023 for a peaceful conduct of the town union election, ” the committee Chairman said.
He appealed to Oba indigenes to give the caretaker committee their maximum cooperation to deliver on the mandate.
One of the members of the traditional ruler’s cabinet, Chief Samuel Obianyo said that the Oba community had been having running issues that leaders of the community were fighting to solve.
“We heard that the government has constituted a caretaker committee for six months duration. The state government said the tenure of the President General has expired. And because of problems in the election process, the government put a caretaker committee. That makes all the problems reduce. We support the state government,” he said.
However, the raging crisis has divided the youths of the community into two parallel camps.
In his comments, the Oba youths President, Mr Uzochukwu Victor said the youths under his leadership were at late Igwe PC Ezenwa’s palace Saturday along with other Oba indigenes on the invitation of the community’s Regent, Noel Ezenwa who had just returned from a foreign trip.
“The Regent called us for an emergency meeting of the community to discuss an issue that is not in line with Oba tradition with reference to tenureship of Oba PG and other issues that affect Oba progress.
” We have Rev Chris Emelie who will be retiring in the next couple of days, according to the Constitution with which Oba runs its affairs.
” On the division of the youths, this is the first time I have observed this kind of division among Oba youths,” he said.
Mr Victor said the battle for Igweship of the Oba community was majorly responsible for the division, adding that he had expected that the youths should be neutral in the crisis.
“I feel that we in the position of leadership should be neutral in this circumstance and try to broker peace. You should not fall into division because an aspirant is coming from your zone,” he noted.
As for the former Vice President of the youth body, Hon Ebuka Chibueze, said his own members insisted on a caretaker committee as constituted by the state government.
“Government came into Oba and saw that there was a problem and had to set up an interim town union administration for a period of six months to restore peace and unity among our people. We support government in the interim administration,” Hon Chibueze said.
