There was tension in Governor Willie Obiano’s Anambra East constituency on Friday following an alleged attempt by the hierarchy of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA to impose a certain candidate on the people of the area for next year’s general elections.
As a result, the people of the area have asked the governor to intervene to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.
They said they had an established agreement over the rotation of House of Assembly seat among the communities in the area.
The people of Igbariam, the only community yet to produce a member of the House of Assembly for Anambra East had threatened that they would embark on a protest to the headquarters of APGA to drive home their displeasure over the decision to impose a certain candidate on them.
The traditional ruler of Igbariam, Igwe Kelly Nneli, said it was the turn of his community to produce the next lawmaker of the constituency-based on the understanding.
He added that his people had already selected one Chief Lawrence Anikpe to contest the election on the platform of APGA.
Igwe Nneli, who introduced Anikpe to the people, insisted that Igbariam people would resist any attempt to deny them their right to produce the next lawmaker for the constituency.
Anikpe, while addressing journalists, said communities in the constituency had religiously followed the selection of their member in the legislature and hoped that the agreement would be kept by APGA during the forthcoming party primary.
He said: “We have six communities in Anambra East constituency. O.C Chinwuba from Aguleri represented us from 2003-2007; Mike Obiodu from Nsugbe and Joe Isiagu from Umuleri had also been there at various times, while Obinna Emeka has been there since 2011. Because of the understanding the governor had with members of the state House of Assembly in 2011, he stayed for another four years, which will end in 2019.
“It is therefore the turn of Igbariam and our people have decided that I should represent them.
“The governor appealed to Igbariam people in 2015 to allow Emenaka to retain the seat because of the agreement he had with members of the house then and that it would be our turn this time round.
“We are very hopeful that the governor will call the people together to address the issue and to remind the stakeholders of the agreement reached in 2015.
“It is zoning that produced Governor Willie Obiano. Our people demanded equity and justice during the administration of Governor Peter Obi, who zoned the governorship to Anambra North and we expect that for equity’s sake, the governor will keep the promise he made to our people.
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“It would be improper for one community to be in the House of Assembly for three tenures when other communities had not been given a single opportunity.
“The people of Igbariam have nominated me to represent the constituency because they believe that I have paid my dues in APGA.”
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