Anambra govt dissolves community’s leadership over controversial appointment

 

The Anambra State government has sacked the leadership of the Oko People’s Union, led by Mr Amaechi Okoli as president general.

Oko community is in Orumba-North Local Government Area and plays host to Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

The sack, DAILY POST learnt, was because of a rift between the leadership of the town’s union and the monarch of the community, Igwe Laz Ekwueme.

Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne who signed the letter sacking the executive members of the Oko Peoples Union, OPU, explained that the action was taken to preempt a crisis in the community.

Though the commissioner attributed the sack to protest trailing the election of the leadership, DAILY POST learnt that the main reason was the appointment of a son of the community, Hon. Sopuru Ezeonwuka into the governing council of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, without the approval of the monarch of the community, Ekwueme.

It was also gathered that there had been infighting between the monarch and union leadership, but the appointment of Ezeonwuka brought the matter to the fore.

DAILY POST also learnt that Igwe Ekwueme petitioned the Ministry of Education where he conveyed his non-approval of Ezeonwuka’s appointment, leading to the dissolution of the town’s union leadership, which facilitated the appointment.

When Igwe Ekwueme was contacted about the dissolution, he told journalists that the matter is being looked into, adding that he would not want to speak further on the issue.