1000 Okpoko residents storm Awka, protest plot to impose caretaker

www.odogwublog.com reports that no fewer than 1000 residents of Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area,

Anambra state, last Friday, stormed Government House, Awka, and

protested alleged plot to impose a caretaker committee on them by the

Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on Local Government and

Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Vera -Okeke.

The protesters, led by the President General of the community, Hon.

Edwin Emesinwa, accused the Special Adviser of writing the script of

politicians who want to impose their stooges as members of the

caretaker committee who will in turn aide them come the 2019 general

election to deliver the community to them without the interest of the

residents of the area.

They carried placards some of which read; "Vera is writing the script

of her predecessor, vera is the cause of all the problems in Okpoko,

there are pending cases of Okpoko in both Ogbaru High court and Appeal

court, politicians who are behind the crises in Okpoko live at GRA

from where they represent us, Gov Obiano Pls come to our rescue, we

are tired of imposition of caretaker committees, Hon Emesinwa is our

President General, politicians leave Emesinwa alone, we did not see

any project worth #20million Gov Obiano choose your project in

Okpoko", among others.

Speaking after presenting their petition to the Chief of Staff, the

President General, Hon. Emesinwa lamented that the crises in Okpoko

emanated from the office of the Sspecial Adviser, Hon Vera Okeke

adding, "we heard the Special Adviser wants to announce the names of

those that will be imposed on us as caretaker committee members and

that is why we are here at the Government House to protest and tell

our able Governor Willie Obiano about the plotand  to stop her because

I am the elected President General and moreover there are cases still

pending in court over my victory."

"Those I defeated during the election collaborated with the  former

caretaker committee led by Hon. Linus Ezenwamma to drag me to court

challenging the execution of court order that sacked the caretaker

committee.

I was elected the President General and five months to the expiration

of my tenure I was removed and I went to court and secured judgment

that removed the caretaker committee imposed on the community led by

Hon Linus Ezenwamma.

Ezenwamma went to court and swore to an affidavite that his office has

expired. An election was conducted and I won. He refused to vacate

office and court ordered for execution and he now went to court

challenging the execution" he stated.

The case is now in Appeal court, stay of execution while imposition of

caretaker is at Ogbaru court pending. They vowed to remove me as the

President General because I am not from Anambra state.

Consequently, Hon Vera Okeke in a bid to ensure I am removed,

reportedly created two files, one for Okpoko community and the other

for me so that whenever the files of Okpoko will be demanded for she

will present that of Okpoko that does not include me as President

General,

Cases I filed and all documents I presented in that my fileon Okpoko

will not be joined and presented when need be as She vowed that since

I sued the former Commissioner for local Government and Chieftaincy

Matters, Hon Dubem Obaze, that I must be removed also" ,

Also speaking on behalf of the community, the Chairman of ward 42 in

the community, Chief Richard Emekarionye, said "we do not ask for

caretaker committee, they want to impose their stooges on us".

"Those politicians behind the crises do not even live in Okpoko but at

GRA Onitsha. The first #20million community project Governor Willie

Obiano brought was used by the caretaker to build a two-room court

apartment and no court has ever sat there since completion.

Another #20million that was brought making it #40million was not put

in any tangible project by the then caretaker led by Linus Ezenwamma

and today the same caretaker wants to come back and we say no, that is

why we are here protesting. The fence they used part of the money to

construct was pulled down by the devastating flood recently "