By Karen James
Awbaofemili town president general elections conducted on the 22nd June,2024 was marred by protest and violence as the indigenes of the town went berserk against the Shambolic actions of Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna and his cohort Hon.Thankgod Anagor Awka North transition chairman.
High Chief Emenike Anthony Nwabueze while speaking with Pechilly investigative media at Awbaofemili stated that the pitiful actions of Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna and his cohort Thankgod Anagor was a Shambolic display of power drunkenness and insensitivity towards the affairs of Awbaofemili people.
Chief Emenike Nwabueze the president General of Awbaofemili town added that , Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna do not have the right to conduct elections into the office of the president general rather his work should be limited to an advisory role or a little higher supervisory. Him getting involved in handpicking of electoral officers on the very day of the election at full glare of the public is an aberration of power and election interference. There was an existing electoral committee that was instituted by the present town union executives as stipulated by law weeks prior to the elections according to the constitution. These officers were mandated to issue forms to prospective individuals interested in occupying elective posts available and also to organize, conduct elections into the President General Office.
However, these laid down rules were brazenly thrown under the carpet by the Traditional head of Awbaofemili town Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna who interfered in the elections by shifting the original venue of the election on the eve of the election from Community primary school Awbaofemili to Central Primary school at a neighboring village without taken into consideration the existing feud between the two villages Oyeagu and Aguenu respectively, their rivalry over the years had engulfed the town negatively leading to vandalism,arson and murders .
Chief Emenike stressed further that , dissident voices were strangulated by thugs imported into the community by Igwe and his cohorts , opposition members were initially prevented from accessing the new election venue until youths and critical stakeholders intervened massively against the beating up of opposition members and access to the venue to all indigenes of Awbaofemili willing to vote was restored.
Chief Emenike stated further that members of the public were asked to que behind their preferred candidates, Chief Chinedu Mebene the anointed igwe’s candidate and Chief Hon.Ignatius Okafor the opposition popular candidate for a headcount which was adhered to by all and sundry until Hon.ThankGod Anagor decided to throw dust in the wind by bolting out of the venue with Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna leaving the election venue without concluding his task of monitoring the election as he was representing the Anambra state Commissioner of Local government and chieftaincy affairs Hon. Collins Nwabunwanne. The headcount of voters was not conducted and their leaving the venue of the election in the manner which they left threw confusion everywhere, fights broke out amongst opposing members and dangerous weapons were used extensively, people scattered to safety for their lives.
This incident leaves the election inconclusive, calls were put across to Hon. Collins Nwabunwanne the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs briefing him of the inconclusiveness of the elections at Awbaofemili town.
According to Chief Emenike,later in the night around 9pm, Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna accompanied by the transition chairman for Awka North Hon. Thankgod Anagor with Chief Chinedu Mebene went back to the election venue with cameramen and paid supporters in the absence of the opposition candidate of Chief Hon. Ignatius Okafor,election officers and other critical stakeholders conducted a Shambolic,mock and shadow election declaring Chief Chinedu Mebene winner of an election that never happened what a shameful act by a supposed custodian of culture and traditions of Awbaofemili, Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna is a MISTAKE to AWBAOFEMILI. He concluded by asking the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency Gov. Charles Soludo to Intervene before the illegal imposition of alien candidate to Awbaofemili people brings about a catalytic destruction as the situation is already catastrophic as arson and murders are presently being experienced within the community since this ugly incidence unfolded.
