Umuoji Igweship tussle: Stop parading yourself as Igwe! Umuoji Patriots warn Kanayo Okoye
Warn him to desist from usurping power through back door
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A group, under the auspices of Umuoji Patriots, has warned Chief Kanayo Okoye to desist from usurping power through the back door in the ongoing Umuoji Community leadership tussle and allow the law of the land to reign supreme.
The group made the call during a telephone interview with the convener of the group with News Band correspondent on July 24, 2024.
Umuoji Patriots noted that Chief Okoye has been fighting the people of the community and the constitution, even initiating a suit against the community while trying to impose himself as the Igwe.
The genesis of Umuoji Igweship tussle
The genesis of the matter dates way back to 2021 in Anambra State.
It started after the Igweship election held on Saturday, May 8, 2021, which was declared inconclusive by the Chief Returning Officer, Mr. Chukwuemeka Joe Nsika (Nnanyelugo Siwo).
The election sought to install a new traditional ruler following the death of the late Igwe, HRH Cyril Enweze.
Three candidates contested the election for a new Igwe, viz: Chief Anaeto Simeon Muogbo, Chief Kanayo Okoye, and Chief Obiora Stephen Onwuachu.
According to information gleaned by News Band, Chief Kanayo Okoye is a Works Contractor from Umuechem village.
Chief Stephen Onwuachu is a businessman, astute politician, former President General of Umuoji Improvement Union Nigeria (UIUN) and APC stalwart from Dimboko village.
On his part, Chief Simeon Muogbo is a Barrister at Law, Master’s degree holder, a Conflict Resolution Specialist as well as a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) retiree after 35 years of meritorious service, from Urumkpu village.
He is also President UIUN Enugu Branch and former member UIUN Peace Committee.
After the election, Chief Okoye won the election by a simple majority with 473 votes, over and above Chief Muogbo, the first runner-up with 459 votes.
Meanwhile, Chief Onwuachu was second runner-up with 359 votes.
Find attached a table showing the winner and the runners-up in this report:
First Election of 8th May, 2021 | |
| Anayo Okoye | 473 votes |
| Simeon Muogbo | 459 votes |
| Obi Onwuachu | 359 votes |
However, according to the constitution of the community, an Igwe will only emerge based on two-third majority.
The chieftaincy constitution of Umuoji, Section 2.3 on method of selection, paragraph F stipulates:
“Where only two candidates qualify for election, the one securing a simple majority by secret ballot shall be declared elected. Where more than two candidates qualify, the candidate who scores two-thirds of the votes cast of the first ballot shall be declared elected.
“In a latter case, when no candidate scores up to two-thirds of the first ballot, a run-off election shall be arranged for the two candidates scoring the highest votes.”
See excerpts of the constitution below:
Chief Returning Officer declares Umuoji election inconclusive
Based on the outcome of the Umuoji community election, the Chief Returning Officer, Mr. Nsika, declared the election inconclusive.
Speaking, Nnanyelugo Siwo declared: “For the avoidance of doubt, the election for an Igwe did not produce one.
“Rather, it produced two contestants for a run-off election in accordance with our chieftancy constitution.
“We prepared for a run-off election for Sunday, May 9, but it will not hold.
“We were told that election for two days is unacceptable by the state government. Hence, payment was made for only one day.
“The runoff must be held on a date to be agreed by the state government and payment made by the PG.
“I made it abundantly clear that the election did not produce an Igwe but a first and second contestants for the runoff which lies with both the PG and Awka to resolve.
“I am happy to have conducted an election that is free, fair and credible,” he added.
According to him, “the run-off election must be held as soon as possible, may be within one month” to conclusively elect the new Igwe.
See the attached report on the Igwe election by Dinechem Electoral Committee signed by the Chief Returning Officer and the Dimechem Electoral Committee and Ohanaeze chairman, Mr. Anthony Akpaniteaku:
Meddlesome VeraQueen Okonkwo, Special Adviser to Governor
However, it soon became apparent that the declaration did not go down well with Chief Okoye and his supporters.
Rather than comply with the outcome of the election, Okoye declared himself winner, went home with his supporters merrying and shouting “there will be no run-off election!”
Eventually, a runoff election was conducted under the direct supervision of the Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Following the election, Chief Muogbo defeated Chief Okoye with about 700 votes difference and was declared Igwe.
It could be recalled that News Band reported on May 6, 2021, that one Mrs. VeraQueen Ebele Okonkwo, a Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs to then Governor Willie Obiano was accused of trying to install her stooge as the traditional ruler following the death of the late Igwe.
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It was learnt that Mrs. Okonkwo had been destabilizing the community due to alleged avarice, reportedly selling the community’s ancestral lands.
She reportedly worked in cohorts with the likes of one Chief Silas Onyimah whom she imposed as UIUN President General.
Read the full report here:
The Chief Kanayo Okoye imbroglio
Chief Okoye, apparently disgruntled by the outcome of events, lashed out against the President General of Umuoji Improvement Union of Nigeria (UIUN), Chief Silas Onyima (Ogidi).
Okoye asked Chief Onyima to be installed as the new Igwe contrary to the town’s Constitution after an inconclusive election in which he declared himself the winner.
In a petition dated May 11, 2021, Okoye protested “the failure… of Umuoji Improvement Union of Nigeria (UIUN)… to announce Chief Kanayo Okoye as the rightful winner of the May 8, 2021 election”.
He wrote in part:
“With profound sense of duty and responsibility, I write to vehemently protest the failure, so far, of Umuoji Improvement Union of Nigeria (UIUN) under your leadership to announce Chief Kanayo Okoye as the rightful winner of the May 8, 2021 election conducted by the eight villages of Dimechem quarter for the stool of Igwe Umuoji.
“This failure is in total contravention of the relevant sections of the 1977 Umuoji Chieftaincy Constitution.”
He stated further:
“I have noticed with great dismay and disappointment that since after the election that there has been a whispering campaign for a run-off in Umuoji and Awka by Chief Simeon Muogbo (Chikwadoaku) who lost the election in spite of the obvious malpractices in his Urumkpu village on election day.
“This unnecessary and unconstitutional effort, no doubt, has been encouraged by UIUN’s obvious dereliction of its constitutional duties.
“These unpatriotic elements have been deliberately spreading this wrong position with the intention of creating tension in the community.”
Okoye will later initiate a suit against the community in his unbridled effort to impose himself as the Igwe.
Read the full story below:
Umuoji Igweship tussle: Kanayo Okoye bullies PG to install him as Igwe against Constitution
PG Umuoji upholds the town’s Constitution
On his part, the President-General of Umuoji Improvement Union warned all players in the election to stand down as the election was yet to be concluded.
Onyima stood his ground and assured that he will adhere to the provisions of the town’s Constitution as the “Constitution is sacrosanct” and must not be overridden.
He made the declaration on the heels of Chief Okoye declaring himself the Igwe-elect of Umuoji.
The run-off election was eventually conducted on 8th of June, 2021.
Expectedly, the President-General of Umuoji Improvement Union upheld the then just concluded election.
See the run-off election result below:
PG Umuoji again upheld the runoff election
Once again, Umuoji President-General upheld the then just concluded election as indicated below:
Listen below a confessional statement of late Chief Onyima, the President General of Umuoji Improvement Union on the matter of Igwe Umuoji Crisis for the records before his assassination:
Unfortunately, meanwhile, some unidentified gunmen, on Friday, February 23, 2024, assassinated Silas Onyimah.
Investigation into the circumstances of his death is still ongoing, though security operatives have arrested some suspects.
It is in the light of all these developments that Umuoji Patriots decided to wade into the lingering political unrests.
The group, therefore, made the following demands and appeals:
- That Kanayo Okoye MUST desist from parading himself as the Igwe of Umuoji.
- That Chief Okoye MUST pursue the suit he initiated against the community to the latter.
(It was learnt that since he initiated the suit, he has never entered an appearance in the court, rather, absconds on all sorts of frivolous excuses.) - The Okoye MUST allow the Constitution of the land to supersede any and all pecuniary interests over and above all person or persons.
- That Umuoji people have spoken through the ballot and that the wish of the people overrides all interests.
- That the courts and laws of the land MUST recognise Chief Simeon Muogbo as the undisputed Igwe of Umuoji following the outcome of the runoff election held in the community.
