IUUF Raises Alarm to Soludo on PG Election Crisis in Umueri

By OGEMDI OZOEMENAM, Awka

The Ikenga Umueri in Anambra East council area of Anambra State, have appealed to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to stop the trio of Hon. Ifeanyi Chinweze (Mayor Anambra East), President General, Umueri General Assembly (Chief Johny Metchie), and Chief Eugene Aghaebe (Electoral Committee Chairman) from destroying the peace and existing zoning formula in Umueri.

Ikenga, one of the four adminstrative quarters of Umueri, is to produce the next president general of Umueri after Ezi, Ivite and Otuocha quarters had taken their respective turns.

But crisis erupted when the aforementioned trio used vested selfish interests to disrupt the PG election originally billed for 21st of March 2026 and postponed it to three months beyond the tenure of the incumbent PG, which will elapse on 18th April 2026.

That disruptive postponement of election ignited wide condemnation from most stakeholders in Umueri, including Ikenga Quarter whose turn it is to produce the next PG.

Within this period of suspense, Hon. Ifeanyi Chinweze (Mayor Anambra East LGA.), an interested party in the election was busy holding clandestine meetings with some impostors in his office with the intention of altering the existing zoning formular against Ikenga Quarter who are the bonafide owners of Otuocha Umueri.

Later, a letter emanated from the office of the Mayor Anambra East altering the entire sharing formular and introducing a toxic clause capable of creating disharmony and discord in Umueri. Aggravating the already tensed situation, the Electoral Committee chairman, Chief Eugene Aghaebe issued his own election notice on the 29th day of March 2026 without including Ikenga and Otuocha Quarters in his publication.

As it stands now, Leaders and Contestants from Ikenga and Otuocha Quarters have no idea of what is left for them to contest or even the fate of their brothers who bought forms and passed through the rigorous screening process.

It is against this backdrop that the Quarter under the auspices of Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum (IUUF) through her Leader, High Chief Dan Ekwevi; Secretary, Dr Chinedu Ekweonu and Moderator, Chief Obi Monulu, petitioned the Governor seeking his intervention in the matter so that peace could return in the area.

They pleaded, among other things, that the status quo should remain in the Umueri zoning formula and that the election, billed for next week Wednesday, should be for Ikenga and Otuocha Umueri to produce her rightful PG and other positions allotted to it.

“That the President General should rescind his communication that reallocated positions shared amongst the 4 Quarters to its original owners as it was in the beginning of the exercise.

“That the imposition letter from the Mayor’s office be discarded and ignored because it was written without consulting the appropriate leaders and in bad fate.

“That the micro zoning of offices in Otuocha Quarter should be stopped forthwith, as it is unconstitutional and insults the sensibilities of Ikenga Umueri people, the exclusive owners of Otuocha.

“That the Electoral Committee should be instructed to continue with the election as earlier planned before the disruptive letter from the PG, Chief Johny Metchie,” Ekwevi, Ekweonu and Monulu concluded.