Akwaihedi Leadership Tussle: Setting the Records Straight

After a series of interventions and consultations with different segments of Akwaihedi community, it has become necessary to make the following clarifications for a better understanding of the situation by the general public.

1. The brewing crisis in Akwaihedi started with the unilateral and undemocratic actions of the former President General of Akwaihedi Town Union, Engr Charles Ekekwe shortly after he had assumed office.

2. The gathering storm over Akwaihedi, induced by the former PG became a growing source of worry when the Secretary General of Akwaihedi Town Union, Mr Emmanuel Ezeani suddenly resigned his position in October 2018. In his resignation letter, Mr Ezeani blamed his decision on ineffective leadership, mishandling of public funds and the quarelsome disposition of the former PG which had made it impossible to settle any dispute without dragging the entire leadership of Akwaihedi to the police.

3. Confirming the fears raised in Ezeani’s resignation letter six months after, the Red Cap Chiefs of Akwaihedi levelled serious charges of gross misconduct against the former PG in a petition dated April 16, 2019 and urged the state government to move against him before it was too late.

4. In specific terms, the Akwaihedi leaders cited 7 weighty infractions against Engr Ekekwe including the unilateral dissolution of all committees in Akwaihedi, dissolution of the Akwaihedi chapter of the Anambra Vigilante Services, formation of a Constitution Review Committee without consultation, dissolution of Igwe Akwaihedi’s cabinet, embezzlement of community funds entrusted to him, unilateral relocation of solar energy streetlights and finally, the violation of the rules guiding the execution of the government’s N20m Choose-your-Project Initiative.

5. It has to be noted that the decision to relieve Engr Ekekwe of his duties  was not taken without recourse to due process. Following the endless faceoff between him and the Igwe of Akwaihedi, he was advised to pay a peace-making visit to the traditional ruler and to re-instate the various committees that he had unilaterally dissolved, including the committees instituted by the traditional ruler, but he turned down the advice. In a January 30, 2018 letter, the state government subtly reminded him to comply to the directive by re-instating the dissolved committees and reaching out a hand of fellowship to the Igwe but he bluntly refused.

6. Engr Ekekwe also cheekily disregarded a 19th October, 2018 memo from the Chairman of Nnewi South Local Government ordering a stay of execution and reversal of the dissolution of the Akwaihedi chapter of the Anambra State Vigilante Services in breach of the state Vigilante law of 2014.

7. The 2nd September, 2019 report of the Caretaker Committee appointed by the state government to reconcile the different factions and restore peace to Akwaihedi also fingered Engr Ekekwe for extorting women petty traders in the town by imposing punitive taxes on them. The leaders of the women’s wing of Akwaihedi Town Union complained that no sooner had Engr Ekekwe assumed office as the President General than he had clamped down on the women with all manner of taxes.

8. Engr Ekekwe also refused to heed the summons from the Caretaker Committee inviting him to provide his own side of the story and balance the pile of negative narrative from different segments of Akwaihedi that titled heavily against him.

9. From all indications, Engr Ekekwe is inured to all entreaties to make peace, work for peace and live in peace with the very people who elected him to serve them.

10. It would have been morally wrong and adminitratively ineffective to alllow Engr Charles Ekekwe to hold on to the position of the President General of Akwaihedi while the whole town dangerously headed to explosion. Akwaihedi deserves peace. Anambra State deserves peace. This administration is committed to taking the right decisions and making the necessary sacrifices that will entrench peace across Anambra State.