The senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, has reacted to the suspension of the traditional ruler of Neni in the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Damian O. Ezeani.
Ezeani was suspended by the Anambra State Government, through the state Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, on Monday, for conferring a chieftaincy title on Ubah.
The suspension letter signed by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, accused the monarch of not seeking clearance from the state government before bestowing titles on people, including “persons with questionable character.”
The monarch had, during the Yuletide, conferred on Ubah the title of ‘Odenjinji’ of Neni, which is similar to the title the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, also holds in his Isuofia community.
But in his reaction to the suspension of the monarch, Ubah, in a statement on Tuesday, said, “The entire game is all about politics. Soludo is frustrated by my rising popularity.
“I am not the only person that received a chieftaincy title. Former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur 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?
“The governor is frustrated by my acceptance and popularity; he is jittery about the next governorship election, but I leave him to his conscience.”
Ubah had in October 2023 defected from the Young Progressives Party to the All Progressives Congress and is reportedly getting set to battle for the governorship position ahead of the 2025 governorship election in the state.
He was received into the party in December, alongside another politician, Senator Uche Ekwunife, and findings showed that it was a fortification of the APC ahead of the 2025 governorship election in the state.
When contacted for a reaction to the development, Soludo’s Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, said, “Senator Ifeanyi Ubah has always been a serial governorship contestant and each time, the people reject him at the polls.
“So, Soludo, who enjoys the overwhelming support of Ndi Anambra, cannot be jittery of such a person. Anambra is APGA land and the people are fully behind Soludo.”
Aburime insisted that the monarch was suspended because he violated the Code of Conduct for traditional rulers in Anambra and with no political undertones whatsoever.
Credit: Punch