Ebonyi: Gov Nwifuru wades into Amaeze crisis, promises free, fair election

By Christiana Ekpa

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, on Thursday, waded into the power tussle that existed between the chairman of Ivo LGA, Mr Emmanuel Ajah and the Amaeze community Chairman, Mr John Okorie.
The clash has divided the community into two parallel groups.
It was gathered that Governor Nwifuru, through the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Igwe Uchenna, alongside other commissioners; Internal Security, Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, had invited the two groups for a peace-talk meeting.
The fight between Ajah and Okorie, ensued when he (Ajah) announced that the election of new leadership for Amaeze Development Union, ADU, will hold on August 12, 2023, but Okorie opposed it, and insisted that the election will hold on August 26, 2023, as allegedly stipulated by the constitution of the union.
But Governor Nwifuru,who briefed newsmen shortly after the meeting, said that the two groups have resolved to hold the union’s election on August 26, 2023, contrary to August 12, 2023, earlier announced by the council chairman, Ajah.
According to him: “The state government invited the two groups headed by the chairman of Ivo LGA, Emmanuel Ajah and the ADU’s chairman, John Okorie, alongside their stakeholders to resolve the difference they had on the date to conduct the election for Amaeze Development Union. The groups have agreed that the election will now be held on August 8, 2023”.
In their sperate reactions, the Council chairman of Ivo LGA, Emmanuel Ajah, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the meeting, vowed to ensure that the forthcoming election of the Amaeze Development Union, ADU, is free, fair, credible and devoid of rancor and acrimony.
“We commend the governor for the peace he has restored to Ivo LGA. We have agreed that the election will hold on August 26, 2023. I promised to give the people of Ivo total peace, and as such, I don’t have any interest in the election and I will ensure that the election is free, fair and acceptable. Any of the candidates that wins will be accepted by all,” he stated.
Responding, the chairman of Amaeze Development Union, ADU, Mr John Okorie, who spoke through his brother, Mr Gilbert Monday Okorie, said: “I’m happy that the election date issues, has been resolved because that is just.
“Our people have been conducting elections on the last Saturday of August, but the Ivo LGA chairman, Emmanuel Ajah, wanted to interfere with that process. We thank the government for resolving the issue.”