By Kamsi Anayo
Ikwmba Front, Sen. Ifeanyi Uba’s political support group, has condemned the suspension of Igwe Damian O. Ezeani, the traditional ruler of Neni in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state for conferring a chieftaincy title on its principal, Sen. Ubah.
In a statement, the group described the suspension of Igwe Ezeani “as a charade, panic driven and an attempt to stifle the revered traditional institution in the state.”
The Anambra state government, through the state Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, had suspended the traditional ruler for conferring a chieftaincy title on the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District.
But in an official statement by the group, signed by the National Coordinator, Sir Arinzechukwu Awogu, it condemned in strongest term what it described as “selective justice” meted out to Igwe Ezeani and by extension Senator Dr. Ubah.
The group said over 170 eminent personalities were conferred with varying chieftaincy titles during the yuletide and new year celebrations by no fewer than 21 highly revered traditional rulers across the state, wondering why Igwe Ezeani should be singled out for vilification and witch-hunting.
“We therefore demanded that the state government publish clearance letters issued in favour of all the chieftaincy title recipients, showing that they complied with Section 2 C of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law,” the group said.
They also queried the importation of the draconian Section 2 C of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law, which it said was; “repugnant to natural justice and good conscience; an affront to the independence of the sacred traditional institution in the state.”
Ikwmba Front further stated that the last two months had witnessed a steady rise in the “political dominance and popularity of its principal, Sen. Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, owing to the call by the people of Anambra state on him to contest the upcoming 2025 Anambra state governorship election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
This, they said, necessitated the heightened panic reactions from Gov. Chukwuma Soludo who now feels that his second term ambition is sufficiently threatened by the now rising profile of Senator Ubah.
“Obviously, fidgety is the issue. A case of yam pounder yelling at the fowl, it shows frailty, it shows steady loss of focus on the part of this administration and low steam. Ostensibly, giving the barrage of challenges confronting the state and the volume of work needed to be done to secure Ndi-Anambra and their properties, and making life a lot better for the people, one wonders if it is not for panic and palpable anxiety.
“Why so much energy would be dissipated by the governor in arm-twisting a custodian of the cultural stool of his fathers in the name of withdrawal of certificate of recognition.
“It is reprehensible to want to think or suggest that threats of suspension and suspension of traditional rulers is in anyway in the scale of the expectations of the people from a government that promised to conduct local government election within six months after swearing in and here we are in the 22nd month of the life of the administration with no signs of plans to conduct the promised local government election.
“A government that promised Dubai/Taiwan and yet we have not seen Onitsha, let alone Nnewi or Awka. A government that promised an end to touting but activated touting to the zenith in 22 months.
“A government that under its gaze Anambra has become a bastion for crime and disorder, a rendezvous for all manner of banditry. A government that left Anambra people more pauperised and in pain than all the previous governments put together,” the statement partly read.
Meanwhile the group said in the statement that Ubah has not lost an iota of his equanimity and composure unlike Gov. Chukwuma Soludo who was jolted by his rising popularity and has acted out of frustration by placing a suspension order Igwe Ezeani.
“The entire game is all about politics. Soludo is frustrated by my rising popularity. I’m not the only person who received a chieftaincy title. Former Chief of Army Staff Buratai was honoured within the same period; Vice President Kashim Shettima was also honoured; Mr President was honoured in absentia. Why is my own different?” Uba was quoted as saying.
