Political impasse in Nnewi over Constituency Representation

by thrilliant
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A political impasse has engulfed Nnewi North constituency of Anambra State over the rotation of political representation among the four quarters of Otolo, Umudim, Uruagu and Nnewichi that makes up the industrial community.

Trouble started when the highest decision-making body of the community, Nzuko-Ora ( Nnewi town union) reversed an earlier agreed one-tenure rotation for each quarter for Anambra State House of Assembly representation.

It was gathered that the rotation started with Umudim quarter which was represented by Chief Ifeanyi Okoye in the State House of Assembly. Our source said at the end of Umudim’s one tenure rotation quota, Mr Benchuks Nwosu went for Nnewichi, Chief J.C.Okeke for Uruagu and Mr Chukwudi Orizu for Otolo before it came back to Umudim where the rotation started which is being currently represented by Chief Amara Anazodo.

Having seen that the single term rotation had robbed Nnewi people the opportunity of producing a principal officer like the Speaker in the State House of Assembly since such positions cannot be given to a first timer, the present leadership of Nzuko-Ora under the Chairmanship of Chief Ugochukwu Udemezue decided to reverse the single tenure rotation to pave way for the present representative, Chief Anazodo to go for a second term to be qualified to become a principal officer in the House.

However, this has not been accepted by Nnewichi quarter even though the rotation has gone round. Nnewichi has insisted that it would be its turn according to the old order. But Nnewi town union has stood its ground that the second tenure ideology must start in 2019 “for the interest of the entire community to have a fair share of principal offices in the State Assembly.”

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Speaking on the political impasse, the current lawmaker representing the Nnewi North constituency said that the issue of beginning the second tenure proposal for each quarter was not about himself as the current representative of Nnewi people but about the collective interest of the four quarters which he said could in the process produce a principal officer after gathering much experience in lawmaking as required by rules of the House.

“The new administration of Nzuko-Ora Nnewi in its wisdom under the leadership of Ugochukwu Udemezue decided and said that one term rotation for Anambra State House of Assembly is not good for Nnewi people and there are good reasons for its decision. We are noted as people who are wise. But in this political calculation, some of our people because of selfish interest make us appear as if we are not wise. How can you explain it that every four years you see a new Nnewi man in the State House of Assembly?

” Nzuko-Ora has now changed the old order and moved a motion on the floor of the union and the motion has been adopted as a working document. The town union also had a voice vote and there was no single dissenting opinion against the decision. Nobody was against the amendment from single tenure to the second term at the floor of the Nzuko-Ora. But some money bags have been making a fruitless effort to work against the decision of Nnewi people by insisting that their son would go to the House for our community to remain “Obi is a boy in every dispensation in the State Assembly. It is a sabotage,” Anazodo submitted.

The lawmaker said it is a wise approach for Nnewi community to borrow a leave from other communities around the State who have seen the wisdom in allowing their sons and daughters to go for more than one tenure with the benefit of being made principal officers of the House in the long run.

The general opinion in Nnewi, however, remains that since Nzuko-Ora Nnewi is the apex decision-making body of the industrial community, any measure it takes must be binding on the community members who elected them with the power and mandate to be the policymakers of the community.

When the interest of the generality of the people is concerned, collective bargaining supercedes personal interest. That is the view of Nnewi political class and elite.

Newson9ja

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