Tension In Onitsha Over Impeachment Of Onitsha South Council Chairman

    

There is tension in Onitsha and environs as the chairman of Onitsha South government Area, Anambra State, Lady Ann Chukwuneke, was today allegedly impeached by two -third (2/3) majority of the members of the Legislative  Council presided over leader of the legislative Council, Hon.Fred Ezenwa.

Although fierce looking and armed to the teeth policemen took over the council headquarters at Fegge as earlier as 8.30 am yesterday, there was no inkling the forces were mobilized against the chairman. Lady Chukwuneke.

Onlookers including workers who were prevented from entering the Council headquarters premises had taught it was sequel to her clash and stoning by traders until her impeachment exercise was perfected. It was after the impeachment that information filtered out why the secretariat was barricaded.


Insider source told Odogwu Media that Hon Fred Ezenwa and co allegedly passed a vote of no confidence on the former Chairman for her purported high-handedness, Corruption and mal-administration before embarking on the impeachment procedures against her which saw to her exit ingloriously having had a running battle with traders who accused her of extortion and high tax.

Her enemies might have cashed in on the recent crisis to cal for her impeachment. She had a running battle with traders at the Millenium Market near main market Onitsha in which about 50 people reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries and with her sustaining injury to the extent she was admitted to the hospital for a day.

  It was alleged that the former Onitsha South Local Government Area Chairman stormed the market with over 100 youths to collect N50,000 per shop levy but was resisted by the traders and his boys tried to force it upon the traders leading to fracas and destruction of vehicles during a free for all fight.

But while admitting the impeachment, the secretary of the Council Area, Hon. Silvanus Mgbechukwu alleged that the impeachment was sponsored by political opponents to the Council Chairman who never found anything good in her.
 

The Council secretary, "the political opponents tried to create a division between the Council Chairman and the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano"   

Odogwu Media recalls that after the crisis , traders and politicians alike called for the impeachment of the council boss  following the injuries sustained by market leaders including the Vice chairman of the market, Prince Peter Okoye that had a machete cut on his head, Obiora Otigba who had machete cut in his hand and John Okafor.

And reacting the crisis, the Anambra state Markets Amalgamation Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo said that the council chairman has no right to storm the market and destroy the wares of the traders some of who have lost huge sums of money to hoodlums.

His words, “the Governor directed me to come and calm the traders and to reopen their shops that he is looking into the crisis”.

“I am happy the Governor is aware because he does not want crisis in the state”. 

The traders who carried placards some of which read thus, "the council chairman is not a good mother, we are disappointed in Iruka the council Chairman, Governor Obiano should remove her, We have lost huge sums of money to hoodlums and she should be impeached".

 

The chairman of the market, Mr. Valentine Ezechukwu and former chairman, chief Obiora Nwankwo described the action of the chairman as uncalled for, adding that they had earlier discussed with the chairman on the way forward for the market and wondered why she stormed the market and had these destructions without proper notice adding, “we even gave out a taken to the council and today they stormed the market demanding N 50,000 per shop”.

Nwankwo said further that the permanent market for traders earlier planned was still in the pipeline and attributed the inability of the present executive to get a permanent place to the crisis experienced earlier in the market.

As at the time of filing this report the policemen were seen within the Council headquarters trying to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.