Azia Royal stool not in contention, Igwe elect declares

From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Azia Igwe elect, Chief Felix Ifeanyimo on Thursday said that the Royal stool of the community is not in contention.

Chief Ifeanyimo stated this during an interactive session with journalists in Awka.

He said as a matter of fact that the process was completed nine years ago when he contested against the former Chairman of Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) Prof Titus Eze and we emerged double Igwe elects.

“At that time, Prof Eze and myself were recommended to the government for issuance of Certificate of Recognition and the government equally set up another committee to look at who should be crowned between me and him when he died.

“The panel then recommended me for recognition and the government directed that I should go for screening at the office of Directorate of State Security (DSS). The same persons wrote against me and went to court, making the process to be stalled.

“All these happened during the administration of Chief Willie Obiano, after then Chike Moghalu, Gabriel Obiakor and other person sued the government to reverse the earlier position, I was joined in the matter.

“The government of Prof Charles Soludo raised a legal team and defended me, the case was struck out. How can anyone be talking about a new process when it has been completed long time ago.

Chief Ifeanyimo alleged that the persons who are behind the so called protest at Government House are few individuals who do not mean well for Azia.

“All their claims during the Government House show are filmsy and outrageous, there is no where it is written in our constitution that I cannot contest for the Royal stool because my father is alive.

“Infact, my case against Prof Eze of blessed memory was that he was the Onowu to the former monarch, with the exit of Igwe, Onowu who is the traditional Prime Minister who is supposed to be a kingmaker should not be in the race to succeed the former Igwe.

“The truth of the matter is that a dug Barron is responsible for the storm in the tea cup of Azia and p people who are benefitting from him are going around making ridiculous claims.

“I am not a trouble maker, infact, in my search for peace in my community, I convocate a meeting of Azia people at Asaba, I spent about four million Naira for a successful hosting of the meeting.

“Immediately after the meeting, another circular emerged from the same persons urging our people to start the process afresh, the truth of the matter is that certain persons are feeding fat in the imbroglio and they are fully aware that once I bagged the Certificate of Recognition, it will be end of the road for them.

“For me, the process has been completed long time ago and what I want the government of the day to do is call a general meeting of Ndi-Ihiala and test my popularity there. Most of the real trouble makers don’t stay at home. They are based outside throwing arrow of discord into our hitherto peaceful community.

“I have a visible business, I am an Estate Developer, process land and sell, my physical presence and efforts to develop our community is common knowledge,”he asserted.