Following the commencement of the processes preparatory to the election of a new monarch, the Ogbunike Progress Union, OPU and Council Of Ndichie Ogbunike, have been charged to ensure that the entire Community is involved in election of Igwe Ogbunike.
The charge was given on Monday 11th November, 2024, by a group of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike, who singled out and nominated Dr Chuma-Odili Harris Udokamma (Ogene Ogbunike) as the credible candidate fit for the respected throne of Ogbunike.
According to the group, they made their submission having carefully studied the provisions of Section 6 (1) of the Igwe Ogbunike Constitution 1978.
Section 6 (1) of the Igwe Ogbunike Constitution 1978 stated that the emergence of any Igwe will be as a result of the decision arrived at by the Central Executive members of the Ogbunike Progress Union and the Traditional Council of Ndichie Ogbunike.
But in the event that the aforementioned stakeholders could not do so, they will have to resort to Section 6(2) of the Igwe Ogbunike Constitution 1978, which stated that the Traditional Council of Ndichie Ogbunike will have to present the eligible candidates to the Ogbunike Progress Union. The Ogbunike Progress Union will then conduct an open election, which every indigene of adult age will participate in a secret ballot.
The group in their submission on Monday, stated that they are solidly backing the resort to Section 6(2) of the Igwe Ogbunike Constitution 1978 because the realities on ground in Ogbunike have given credence that the Section 6(1) cannot apply in the present circumstance owing to the alleged division and factionalization of Ndichie Ogbunike, which will give room to myriad of disputes and distortion of the process.
The group is therefore, demanding in the interest of peace without rancour or litigations for a transparent and open election process where every eligible indigene of Ogbunike can cast vote for their preferred candidate.
Most indigenes of the town had before now indicated their interests in being part of the process of electing the new Igwe Ogbunike having in mind that the reported factionalization of Ndichie Ogbunike will make it almost impossible to go by the provisions of Section 6 (1) of the Igwe Ogbunike Constitution 1978.