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Enugu community accuses LP chieftain of inciting communal crisis
The people of the newly created Enu Agu autonomous community, Akpugo in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State, have alerted the Enu the government of Enugu State and the public to the antics of Amechi John Edeh, aimed at inciting communal crisis in the community.
The members of the community also distanced themselves from a purported protest against their monarch and the town union to the Enugu State House of Assembly and the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, saying the protesters were not members of the community.
Edeh, a member of the Labour Party (LP), who was said to have contested and lost the House of Representatives seat for Nkanu East/West federal constituency in the 2023 election, had reportedly resorted to creating crisis in the community.
Ikenna Ogbodo, President General (PG), who conveyed the misgivings of the community on the development, told reporters in Enugu on Tuesday that the said protesting were mere impostors, urging the government and the public to disregard them and pay no heed to their demands, as the people had firm and unwavering confidence for the new monarch and the town union leadership.
Wondering how Edeh, who is not from the community should be the one leading the protest, he explained that the only connection was that he is Ogonogo eji Ndiagu Akpugo, the mother of the three other autonomous communities, of Ogbozinne Community, Ugwuafor Community Enu-Agu, which did not qualify him to lead such a protest.
Maintaining that Enu-Agu was very calm and peaceful, while the people were going about their lawful businesses without any form of agitation from any quarters whatsoever, he emphasiesd that Edeh, had become hostile because his attempt to coerce the monarch and the town union into covering his shady land dealings prior to the creation of Enu-Agu from Ugwuafor, was rebuffed by the two.
Tracing the genesis of all the autonomous communities, Ogbodo recalled that the administration of Chimaroke Nnamani first carved out Ogbozinne community from the mother Ogonogo Eji Ndiagu Akpugo, and later carved out Ugwuafor before he left office in 2007, only for Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the immediate past governor completed the job of carving out Enugu-Agu.
His words: “Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi carved out Enu-Agu from Ugwuafor. After the creation of Enu-Agu, we started the processes for the creation of our Igwe. Many candidates were vying for the position. Igwe Sylvester Ikechukwu Nnaji was chosen by our people. The local government recommended the peoples choice to the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs.
“The Ministry issued a Certificate of Return to the person recommended by the Local Government. We equally have a town union duly recognised by State Government with a President General, Secretary and other executives. The town union has a tenure of four years.”
Ogbodo, while describing Edeh as a rabble rouser who had been causing trouble in Akpugo because of resistance to his land grabbing activities, added that this penchant for causing trouble led to the ongoing rift between him and the present traditional ruler of Ugwuafor, Igwe John Ideyi Nwodo which led to police involvement.
“This same man is inciting communal crisis in Enu-Agu. Besides, he is not even from Enu-Agu. His community is Ogonogo-Eji Ndiagu Akpugo. He is among those who signed the constitution of Ogonogo-Eji Ndiagu Akpugo town union. These facts are verifiable because they are in public domain.
“After the government recognition of Igwe Sylvester Ikechukwu Nnaji and the town union, the same character who is not from Enugu Agu, approached them to shield him from his previous shady dealings when Ugwuafor and Enu-Agu were one community. The Igwe and the Town Union declined the request.
“As a result, he started inciting communal crisis in Enu-Agu community because the Igwe and the town union rebuffed him. This is the genesis of the said protest.”
Dismissing the call by the protesters for the dissolution of the town union, as unwarranted, unfounded, baseless and mischievous, he also dismissed the claim by the protesters that the monarch sold land for N81 million as a lie from the pit of hell, stressing that the royal father had no such powers to sell land in Akpugo because they belonged to families and individuals, and not the community.
Th PG also challenged the claim by the protesters that the Igwe flagrantly invited the police to arrest people in the community, challenging them to provide documentary evidence to show where the monarch invited the police or any other security agency to arrest people in the community.
Accusing the LP chieftain of being the one organising such arrests people, he said that an example was when he incited some disgruntled elements in the community to lodge reports against the PG and his executive at Agbani Police Station and the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Ogbodo, who said the town union is in possession of a flash disc containing all the activities of the land grabber in the community, which would be released to the public at the appropriate time, also accused the LP chieftain of using all manner of tactics to scare and intimidate the people.
“The protesters said that the President-General took about 20 boys to sack people mining sand in the community. It is false. Rather, we resumed work despite the fact that the former President General of Ugwuafor, Emeka Festus Chukwuma and his cohorts delayed us for five months, while they were still mining sand in the land throughout this period.
“The same LP chieftain causing trouble in Akpugo took some people to protest against the location of the only smart school given to our ward by his Excellency Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. Sullivan Chime regime designated the place for secondary school. A sign board was put there. We agreed to use it for the smart school. This man took some people to protest against the location of the smart school. We wrote to the Governor, explaining how the town brought a place and it was approved. The Governor sent GOC Ajah to the place to investigate and consequently, sent police to the place and warned trouble makers to steer clear of the land.”
Ogbodo, who expressed the gratitude of the people and the monarch to Mbah, for his good works in Enugu State, particularly the PRODA-Nchatancha Nike Road, opening up communities in the Akpugo corridor for development and investment, pledged their support for his administration having witnessed the rapid transformation of the entire state under his government.
Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the 2023 presidential election, on Tuesday, scoffed at the 45 million vote figure he supposedly scored during the primaries of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), dismissing it as fake.
Obi, sole candidate of the party for the presidential primaries in the 2027 election, attributed the development to the handiwork of forces pushing for the validation of fraud, an obvious shade at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which on Monday announced President Bola Tinubu as its candidate, with a whopping 11 million votes.
A groundswell of Nigerians had expressed amazement the huge figure, dismissing it as not only outrageously improbable but outrightly false and a gambit to skew the narrative early enough for a more sinister political gameplan ahead of the presidential election.
Obi, whose reaction came through his media office, while toeing the same line on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to disregard the figures being attributed to him, saying the NDC was yet to hold its primaries to determine his votes.
The statement, read: “The attention of the Peter Obi Media Office has been drawn to certain 45m primary vote figures currently circulating on social media and various news platforms, purporting to be the breakdown of official results from an imaginary primary by the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC ascribed to Mr Peter Obi.
“We wish to state categorically that these figures are entirely false, fabricated, as such, the primary never took place and no figure was generated from any process. We urge the general public, party supporters, and members of the press and the public to completely disregard these misleading statistics.
“Official and accurate information regarding Mr Peter Obi’s engagements and political processes will always be communicated through our verified and authorised channels and appropriately signed. Those behind this fraudulent figure attribution to Peter Obi are looking for partners in their fraud but they should look elsewhere not with Peter Obi.”
For President Bola Tinubu, it was another occasion of chest-beating, as he claimed to have ended Nigeria’s painful journey through the dark tunnel of economic trials, promising that in no long time, citizens would begin to experience the benefits of their long suffering in the last three years.
The President, who for the umpteenth time implored Nigerians not to despair, conveyed his message of hope and inspiration came by way of his 2026 Eid-El-Kabir salute to the Muslim faithful whom he referred as “our brothers and sisters across Nigeria and worldwide.”
Hear him: “As a nation, we are on a journey of reconstruction and renewal. The reforms we have undertaken are challenging but necessary to build a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria for future generations.
“Just as sacrifice brings reward, I am happy that the sacrifices and efforts we have made over the past three years have yielded a more stable economy, making our country a preferred investment destination that will drive job creation and economic growth. The walk through the dark tunnel is over, and the light is here.
“I am confident that, by the Grace of God, the reforms we have diligently pursued will continue to yield improved security and greater opportunities for all.
“I am aware that, despite the best efforts of our security and intelligence agencies—including the recent elimination of a wanted ISIS leader—heartless terrorists and bandits still attack some communities. I assure you: you are neither abandoned nor forgotten. We will ultimately defeat all the forces of evil.
“One central lesson of Eid-el-Kabir is the call to show mercy and compassion, regardless of race, ethnicity, or creed. There is no greater example of duty and devotion than Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to offer his only son, Ismail, as a sacrifice to Allah.
“Let us also reach out to the less privileged, share with our neighbours, and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood that unite us as one people. My administration remains committed to building a Nigeria where all citizens can live in peace, worship freely, and pursue their dreams without fear.”
Urging the faithful to use this sacred occasion to pray for Nigeria for peace in our communities, and for wisdom for those in leadership, he added: “Let us pray that those who commit crimes among us may rethink and abandon their evil ways or face the full weight of the law.
“On behalf of the government, I wish you all a peaceful, joyous, and blessed Eid al-Kabir. May Allah accept our sacrifices and prayers, and may He continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Option A4, occupies a central place in Nigeria’s democratic development. That unique election model developed and introduced in the Nigerian electoral process by Humphrey Nwosu, the late Professor of Political Science, has become a symbol mounted on a standard and raised high above the sky.
It is Nigeria’s mimic of that biblical golden serpent to which both the nation and its citizens look up at and derive instant succour – much like a balm to their heavily-lacerated democratic soul – a wonder device, that once mesmerised the world.
Yes! Anytime Nigerians want to serenade their democratic spirit with the allure of sweetness, they take a recourse to that unique event that happened more than three decades ago, on June 12, 1993. They reminisce on the purity of the process and beauty of the outcome.
Like the saying that precious things come in simple packages, Option A4, was not only as simple as simplicity itself, but was as powerful as the most impactive dynamite – simple enough to break all barriers of ignorance and powerful enough to destroy all electoral bad behaviours defacing the beautiful perspective of democracy.
Here is the process. Voters converge on a location at approved time, get accredited, queue behind preferred candidates, get counted and the votes recorded in approved result sheets. Finish! No ballot-snatching, no ballot-stuffing, no quarrel, no thuggery, no blood on the floor.
Even the issue of proper voting that lead to void votes is eradicated by the process. The electorates need no education on how to vote properly. The issue of thumb-printing in the wrong space or double-voting is taken care of.
Today, in Nigeria, June 12 is designated as Democracy Day, based on the outcome of that election. It was so seamless and produced such a perfect result that the product – Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola was never challenged on the inviolability, but on the other ideas the military government in power then had.
But did you see the same Option A4 put to test under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Did you watch the primaries of the All Progressive Congress (APC), at various stages, including the one that produced the President as candidate of the party in the 2027 presidential election? If you did, you would understand where your country is currently and where it is headed.
How could anyone have the mindset to deface such a beauty, let alone design a mechanism to destroy it, given its centrality as the bastion of Nigerian democratic commemorations? How could anyone be so wicked as to destroy the most beautiful Nigerian democratic ornament?
It is like pulling the original of Monalisa or the best of Bini Bronze from their protective encasements and smashing them on the floor. It takes a mindset that has scant regard for beauty – a destructive spirit to do so.
But see how easily they did it! See how simple it was for them. It was as easy as jumping from 10 to 1,000 in a simple counting process a primary school child could do.
Did you see the smiles on their faces to indicate how much fun they had supervising the putrid, outlandish and parlous construct – like the lurid expression of a rapist seeking to satiate his lust? Clearly, it did not matter to them the danger they’re putting themselves and future generations – comprising their children and grandchildren, Tragedy!
But what is it that Tinubu and his co-travellers have not destroyed since happening on Nigeria? What pain have they not wrought on the polity? Is it the economy? Think of those rich Nigerians alighting from their fancy cars and jumping into the Lagos Lagoon.
Is it security? Reminisce on the last moments of General Sani Uba, as he watched the approach of the terrorists while crouching on his knees in the forest, having lost the vain hope that his country would save him.
Think of the Oyo school teacher in that final moment as he waited for the impact of that sharp knife on his bare throat, while being slaughtered like a goat at the abattoir. Think of Zamfara, think of Sokoto, think of Kwara, think of Anambra – add to the list – think Nigeria.
Yet, the APC foot-soldiers – including a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives – a leader in the legislature – the most important institution of democracy – clowned, jested and had fun.
For them, the rest of the country doesn’t matter. All that matters is Tinubu’s happiness. And the master-strategist, the democratic doyen, the June 12-NADECO icon, was all and about, grinning from ear to ear and lapping everything up.
With economy destroyed from day-one with the impulsive, brainwave – subsidy is gone declaration – with security in tatters that school children, now scurry and scamper in different directions like scared rodents, at the slightest sight of strange faces for fear of being the next kidnap victims – with the national fibric almost giving way from the consistent and unrelenting pressure in running the most nepotistic administration – far worse than the days of the late Muhammadu Buhari, thought to be the worst at a time – what else remains of Nigeria?
Before now, I had grieved that Tinubu deliberately left out Humphery Nwosu in that outlandish June 12 struggle honourees list, when he ought to be the numero uno. I had hoped however that someday, someone more amenable than Tinubu would do the needful. But what hope is there now that Tinubu and his men are tightening the noose on Nigerian democracy? Now this!
The worst part is not that the APC goons committed this heinous atrocity, but in the manner they did. They enjoyed the process. Only mindless characters such as mafia kingpins we watch in movies, take pleasure in inflicting pains. That we now watch such playing out in real life is not only disturbing, it is THE TRAGEDY!
My name is Sunny Igboanugo, I’m The Tiny Voice!
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