By Ifeanyi Okonkwo
Residents of Ndiowu community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Monday, protested the alleged imposition of a caretaker committee on them in place of a duly elected town union leadership by those they described as cabals.
The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘End cabalism in Ndiowu’, ‘Caretaker is over 5 years in Ndiowu’, Ndiowu deserves good leadership’, among others, stormed Government House, Awka, to demand for government’s quick intervention on the matter before it degenerates.
They alleged that the cabals discarded their peaceful town union election which produced an exco led by Chike Emenike as president-general and arranged a caretaker committee against their wish.
A petition endorsed by Obiora Mgbemene, youth leader and Orji Onyeka, secretary, which was presented to the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, who addressed them at the Government House gate, listed other grievances.
The petition read: “These self-styled cabals had boasted repeatedly that with their high-network connections in the State House, no matter the number of times these elections were held, that they will scuttle it through their powerful contacts in the State House unless their imposed anointed candidate emerges as the President-General.
“It is therefore, against this backdrop that, we, the members of Ndiowu community, comprising of the Umuada, Anutaradi, men, youths and all the nine villages of Ndiowu, wish to call the attention of Anambra State government to assist us address this legitimate concern as we are fast losing our patience which could lead to a possible breakdown of law and order in Ndiowu.”
They appealed to the government to “acknowledge our Town Union Executive duly elected on the 26th of December, 2019 by the majority of Ndiowu people, after a widely publicized circular was properly passed to all Ndiowu indigenes, both home and abroad.”
The SSG, Chukwulobelu, told the angry protesters that their concerns would be addressed as soon as possible even as he commended them for their peaceful conduct during the protest.
