By Eche Nwaobasi – Nnewi.
The people of Umueri, the town where the Anambra airport was sited and one of the numerous communities that make up Anambra East LGA Anambra state, last Wednesday 8th April 2026, elected a new 20 man-town union executive to pilot the affairs of the town in the next four years.
According to highlights of the keenly contested non violent, free, and fair election which was conducted through option A4 method and supervised by the officials of the Anambra state government as well as witnessed by the press, human rights groups, etc, saw the emergency of Mr. Nweke Chijioke Smart as the new president general. Nweke Chijioke is expected to take over from the outgoing President General, Ambassador John Metchie, whose tenure expired on 1st April 2026.
Speaking to journalists after the election, His Worship, Magistrate Eugene Aghaebe, the chairman of the electoral committee of the election, thanked God for the strength given to the committee to conduct a free and fair election. He urged the new executive to ensure that they serve the people diligently, and he urged them to live above board.
Commenting on challenges he and his committee encountered before the election, he described these challenges as hectic, but noted that despite this problem, he and the entire committee remained undaunted to render a transparent election which enabled the emergency of people’s choice as duly elected.
On his part, the traditional ruler of the community HRM Igwe Benneth Emeka, spoke to the journalists on the outcome of the election in his palace. He congratulated the newly elected executive, as well as admonished them not to regard their new positions as a pleasure jamboree, that it is an opportunity to work for the community.
The monarch who was visibly elated urged them that they should use their various offices to always seek for peace, love, progress, among the people of the community.
The monarch said, “I charged you to immediately settle down to work,I assure you all that am going to partner with you to further develop our community umueri, I assure you that my palace will always be open to move our community forward.
Speaking also when the new executive paid a courtesy visit to him in his office at Anambra East LGA Headquarters, Chief Sir Ifeanyi Chinweze, the Mayor of the local government who is an indigene of the town congratulated the new executive and urged them to settle down, and work tirelessly for their people, stressing that he is aware that what the people of the town required most is development of their town; while reminding them of the need to carry every member of the community along. He admonished them to avoid anything that will promote rancor, acrimonies, and chieftaincy tussles, but rather pursue programs that will rapidly promote peace, love, unity, and all round-development of Umueri community.