Crisis is brewing in Ekka community, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, following the dissolution of the town union leadership by Governor Francis Nwifuru’s aide in the area, Chika Igboke
The town union leadership led by a septuagenarian, Oketa Francis, which was constituted by the late traditional ruler of the community, has been in power for about 38 years.
The leadership was however dissolved by the Coordinator of Imoha Development Centre, Chika Igboke.
Development centres are sub-divisions of Local Governments in the state and are headed by coordinators appointed by the governor.
Oketa, who was unhappy with the action of Igboke, said the dissolution was illegal and unacceptable to the people of Ekka community.
He opined that Igboke would have held a stakeholders meeting to discuss the matter before taking the decision, which he further described as unilateral and against the wishes of the people.
Oketa said, “I have been ruling Ekka for many years now. I have been in power for over 30 years peacefully. We have laid down rules in this community on election and other matters.
“Whenever we want to do something in this community, we must discuss it in public, we must gather to deliberate on it and then take a decision but this was not done before the said dissolution of the town union which I am heading and that is way we are saying that it is not acceptable.”
A youth leader in the community, Nwafor Celestine, also condemned the dissolution of the town union executives by Igboke and vowed that it would be resisted.
“We got a distress call from our people that the coordinator of our development centre, Imoha Development Centre, who happens to be our brother, held a meeting and dissolved our town union which he never instituted to create problems in our community.
“Ekka people had met and resolved after series of meeting that they will constitute a committee which will take care of election in the town union.
“Stakeholders of the community agreed to meet on Easter Tuesday for them to resolve on how to elect or appoint town union president of the community since our president has served very well and he needs to rest.
“We are appealing to the local government and the state government to wade into this matter because our youths are not happy. I know what I have passed through trying to calm them down.”
However, Igboke dismissed the allegations against him as baseless.
He noted that he met with every stakeholder of the community to seek their opinion before the dissolution of the town union executives.
