The people of Obiangwu Autonomous Community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, have raised the alarm over alleged plot by Executive Chairperson of the council, Hon Chika Ibekwe to scuttle its scheduled town union election, hiding under the guise of obeying instruction from Imo State Governor Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma.
The community in a statement issued by Obiangwu Stakeholders Forum on Monday, August 18, 2025, signed by Hon Emmanuel Agbakwuru and Hon Chukwuma Anuforo, said reliable information In its possession shows that the chairperson is perfecting plans to allegedly illegally use the governor’s name as cover to stop a legitimate election,that the town plans to hold this Saturday,August 23, 2025.
According to the community, contrary to what they are hearing that Gov Uzodimma has placed restriction on conduct of town union elections in communities in which tenure of subsisting executive have expired in the LGA.it was the governor who personally empowered communities whose town union tenure have expired to hold election to elect new town union leadership.
The Community noted that it was that clearance from the Peoples governor, that gave it the impetus to put in motion the machinery for the conduct of election to elect a new executive to pilot the affairs of the community.
According to the community, the condition which the governor said communities wishing to conduct elections should fulfill before conducting election, which is formally notifying the government of plan to hold election, has since been fully complied with by it.
Consequently, it stated that it would amount to a deliberate and wilful attempt to damage the governor’s good name and image by the chairperson, if she tries to use his name to scuttle a legitimate town union poll that has followed due process and complied with all necessary legal stipulations.
In addition to that,the stakeholders stated thst the community had also taken every other necessary step that should be taken to ensure a peaceful, transparent, credible and democratic town union election is held by the community.
The group, therefore, strongly cautioned against any attempt to try to allegedly illegally hide under the governor’s name, to scuttle an election, which planning met all protocols laid down by the government, the constitution of the community and guidelines as issued by the electoral committee.
According to them, apart from being a clear act of illegality,
such action would create crisis in the community, destroying the peace and unity that has been prevailing in the community.
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