Confusion, anarchy in Chris Ngige’s hometown

The people of Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, an indigene of the town, of fuelling crisis in the area, urging him to allow peace reign.

However, the minister said all he had been doing in Alor was to ensure that the right things were done.

According to Ngige, the election conducted recently in Alor was generally accepted by people from all walks of life.

During the election, an ally of Ngige, Chief Uzoma Igbonwa, was elected President-General of Alor Peoples Assembly, APA, against the opposition of some sections of the community, who insisted that the original town union, Alor Peoples Convention, APC, was still much in place.

President-General of APC, Chris Okudo, said in a statement in Awka on Sunday, that the election that produced Igbonwa of APA never took place, because the slated venue where the election was to be conducted was cordoned off by the police on the instructions of Anambra State government.

He added that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs neither gave approval nor supervised any election.

Okudo said: “It is important to point out that APA led by Uzoma Igbonwa is Senator Chris Ngige’s apologist, who he uses to challenge and disobey the lawful directives and laws of the government of Anambra State and our amiable action executive governor, Chief Willie Obiano.

“He, thereby, creates a lot of confusion and anarchy in Alor in particular and Anambra State in general.”

He recalled that two courts of coordinate jurisdiction gave judgements that appeared to be conflicting on the issue concerning Alor.

He added: “Both cases are at the Court of Appeal and there has not been any judgement. It, therefore, smacks of mischief for anybody to insinuate that there has been a judgement.

“Resorting to propaganda by those who know the truth is to dignify their sense of mischief and irresponsibility.

“It is in the public domain that Anambra State government, in February 2019 and May 2020, issued a statewide circular banning all forms of town union elections and all associated town union activities because of the presidential election and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Therefore, any activity done by any community or group of persons within the period purporting to act on behalf of any community, is of no consequence.”

He urged Governor Obiano to ignore all the actions intended to distract the state government from discharging its responsibility.

He added that it was obvious that some people in Alor were bent on taking impunity and lawlessness to the next level by trying to play God.