It was joy all over Oba Community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, as a new town Union Executives of the Oba Patriotic Union, OPU, were on Sunday elected to oversee the affairs of the community.
The absence of the elected town union executives had made it impossible to elect a new traditional ruler for the community, while all manner of crimes and illegalities, including youth restiveness, sales and encroachment of communally-owned lands, had thrived in the community, due to lack of leadership.
The Anambra State Government had through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Affairs, created the Interim Town Union Government, ITUG of the Community, to see to the election of new executives of the OPU by 31st December, 2023.
To this end, an electoral committee was constituted and at the Oba Civic Centre on Sunday, 5 delegates each from every umunna in the nine villages of the community, filed out to elect their new leadership.
At the election, Engr. Uzochukwu Ejiofor emerged the President General of the community, having polled 370 votes to defeat his only opponent, Ogechukwu Obasoanya, who got 179 votes.
Aside the posts of Secretary General and Chief Provost, which were contested, other positions were unopposed at the election duly monitored by the Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili South LGA, Hon Amaka Obi and officials of the State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Affairs, Awka.
The Electoral Committee Chairman, Mr Obodoekwe, while announcing the results, said the exercise was keenly contested and the winners duly emerged.
Earlier in her remarks, the Idemili South TC Chairman, Hon Obi said the state government is interested in promoting peace across all communities of the state, through the entrenchment of democratically-elected town union executives.
She said the Oba election was critical because of how strategic the community is to the Council area and the state, saying the government presence was to ensure that things were done the right way.
On the newly-elected town union executives, Obi charged them to work in accordance with the constitution of the community and carry everybody along in their development efforts.
The regent of the town, Prince Noel Ezenwa in his speech, said Oba Community has once again by the election, expressed their readiness to begin the journey of rebuilding their homeland.
Congratulating the new executives, Prince Ezenwa maintained that Oba is one and the bond of brotherliness among them must be nurtured at all times.
For his part, the Chairman of the outgone Interim Government of the Community, Sir Osita Ubadi expressed delight that they were able to accomplish the tasks assigned them by the state government, as well as other achievements for the community, urging the new executives, to work towards giving the community a befitting traditional ruler in the nearest future.
According to him, the election was one of the most transparent conducted in the history of Oba as a community.
A stakeholder in the community, Prof Austen Azubogu commended the advisory role played by the Idemili South Transition Committee Chairman, Hon Obi, in ensuring that the elections were successful and concluded in a transparent manner.
In his acceptance speech, the new Oba PG, Engr Ejiofor, described their election as the handiwork of God and commended the past ITUG and the electoral committee for delivering a transparent and credible election to Oba people.
He promised to work together with his co-contestants and all critical stakeholders in Oba Community to bring about the long expected peace, unity and development in the town.
We are all very happy and grateful to God for making today a reality.
“The expectations of the great people of Oba will be met, as our tenure will be as transparent as possible and focused on meeting the demands of our people.
“In the past, we have had serious security challenges but we are going to review our security strategies and strengthen the security architecture to ensure that such challenges do not repeat again, even beyond our regime.
“We look forward to restore the peace and unity of our people, as a key agenda of our administration.
“”I will, in my address to Ndi Oba soon, present a detailed development agenda for the community.
“Once again I thank God Almighty and congratulate Ndi Oba to whom this victory primarily belongs and I extend my hand of fellowship to my colleagues in the executive and enjoin them to join me in this onerous task of uniting and rebuilding our dear town Oba ebo iteghete.”
