Community slams palace secretary for suspending chiefs
Emma Elekwa, Onitsha
ABACHA community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State has flayed the palace secretary, Joe Mbakwe, for purportedly suspending the Prime Minister (Onowu), Paul Nzekwesi.
Mbakwe was also chided for suspending three other prominent chiefs – Godwin Odiegwu (Ichie Nwakaibeya), Anthony Okelo (Ichie Ozo) and Ugochukwu Onyekwelu (Ichie Omenka).
The monarch was recently suspended by Governor Willie Obiano for travelling to Abuja without permission.
Mbakwe said the chiefs were suspended for allegedly sponsoring members of the community to protest at the Government House. The protesters supported the monarch’s suspension.
But the community, under the aegis of Abacha Traditional Ruler Council, described the action as null, void and of no effect. They insisted it was not in consonance with the town’s laws.
It added that Mbakwe lacked the power to carry out the purported suspension as he was merely a personal staff of his brother the Igwe.
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Nzekwesi, who addressed reporters on behalf of the Abacha Traditional Ruler Council yesterday, described Mbakwe as a meddlesome interloper, and the suspension as frivolous.
He said: “The purported suspension is neither here nor there. The palace secretary cannot exercise a power he doesn’t have as he is just a personal staff of his brother.
“Mbakwe is just trying to be mischievous to cause confusion and paint the town as not peaceful.
“Our constitution is clear on the absence of an Igwe. It stipulates that in the absence of Igwe the second in command (Onowu), which is me, takes over. So I am in charge, together with the cabinet chiefs, and there is absolute peace in our community. We support Governor Willie Obiano on this action as he has done well for the state.”
President-General of the community Ifeanyichukwu Obata, as well as Odiegwu and Onyekwelu, insisted there was peace in the town since the Igwe was suspended. They said there was no vacuum in leadership as the traditional council was working in perfect synergy with the town union.
