Anambra: Labour Party Alleges Tyranny, Sends Stern Warning to Gov. Soludo, Others
Forum of the Labour Party 2023 Anambra State House of Assembly candidates has condemned the suspension of Igwe of Neni community, H.R.H. Igwe Damian O. Ezeani and alleged destruction and burning of petty traders’ goods in Awka by the Government of Anambra State under the auspices of Prof. Charles Soludo.
The forum made this known in the weekend through a release signed by its Coordinator, Mr. OCN Okafor while reacting to a widely circulated letter on the suspension of Igwe of Neni and destruction of Petty Traders’ goods In Awka.
The forum, however, commended the role of the chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, H.R.M Igwe Dr. Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe (CFR) and the House of Representative member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency, Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu for publicly speaking against these intimidations and barbaric acts by the Anambra State Government.
They further distanced themselves from any form disobedience to laws and orders regardless of one’s title or position in the state.
Full text below:
RE: REMOVAL OF H.R.H. IGWE DAMIAN O. EZEANI OF NENI COMMUNITY, DESTRUCTION AND BURNING OF PETTY TRADERS GOODS IN AWKA BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ANAMBRA STATE: PROF. SOLUDO SHOULD STOP PLAYING GOD, POWER IS TRANSIENT.
- On 8th January 2024; the Government of Anambra State, through the office of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs via a widely circulated letter on media, suspended the Traditional Ruler of Neni community, H.R.H Igwe Damian O. Ezeani, for conferring a Chieftaincy title on a Serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
- Also on January 16, 2024; there were viral videos on social media of public destruction and burning of goods and wares of some street hawkers in Awka, by men armed with cutlasses and axes, working in the office of Awka Capital Territory Authority.
- We condemn these two actions of the State Government on her citizens, as they are barbaric, inhuman and wicked, and we warn the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo not to throw our dear State into anarchy with his tyrannic tendencies.
- As much as we are not encouraging the disobedience to existing laws in the State; from our investigations, there was no existing law/code of conduct prohibiting Anambra State Traditional Rulers from conferring Chieftaincy Titles on non-indigenes of their community. This was affirmed and validated by the widely circulated letter by the Chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, H.R.M Igwe Dr. Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe (CFR), a first class Traditional Ruler of repute.
- Furthermore, after a careful study of the Anambra State Land Use Law, there was no clear contravention by the street traders that warranted the trauma, intimidation, humiliation and threat with cutlasses and axes, before destroying and burning their goods and wares.
- However, assuming without conceding that they contravened any law or agreeing with the State Government’s claim that they were constituting nuisance, they could have been removed peacefully; even though, no neighborhood market was constructed by the State Government for proximity for the residents of the area.
- We request that the State Government should pay compensation to those that their goods were destroyed within 21days. Failure to do so, we shall encourage our members that their indigenes or residents in the affected Local Governments to seek redress in court.
- Finally, we commend the chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, H.R.M Igwe Dr. Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe (CFR) and the House of Representative member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency, Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu for publicly speaking against these intimidations and barbaric acts by the Anambra State Government.
God bless Labour Party!
God bless Anambra State!!
God bless Nigeria!!!
Yours in Service’
Mr. OCN Okafor
Coordinator