By Ebubechukwu Brown
The leadership crisis rocking Okpuno Nnewichi, Nnewi, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State have taken a new dimension as embattled Secretary General of Okpuno Development Union, ODU, has threatened to take members of the Board of Trustees of the body to court for abusing the constitution of the union by dissolving constitutionally elected members of ODU.
Trouble started after the impeachment of the chairman of ODU, Mr. Ikenna Obiasogu, and his vice, Mr. Azuka Arinze.
While the chairman was impeached for alleged gross misconduct, the vice- chairman was impeached for alleged aiding and abating crime.
In a well attended meeting on Saturday, October 1, 2018, convened by the Chairman, Board of Trustee of the Union, Architect Samuel Onwenuzo, a motion for the impeachment of the chairman and vice chairman was moved by Mr. Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and was seconded by Mr. Okey Ojukwu.
The motion which was put into vote had 28 persons in favour of the impeachment; and 6 persons against it.
However, few weeks after the impeachment of the chairman and his vice, the chairman of the Board of Trustee of the union, Architect Samuel Onwenuzo, called for another meeting and dissolved the remaining executive members and setup a caretaker committee for the union.
Since the dissolution of the committee, some members of the dissolved executive and members of the community have kicked against the action of the BOT chairman.
Speaking to anaedoonline, the embattled secretary, Prince Nwachukwu, described the dissolution of the executive committee of the union as unconstitutional and unacceptable.
His words: “The dissolution of the executive members of Okpuno Development Union was unconstitutional. It is an abuse of the constitution.
“The members of the Board of Trustees have no constitutional right to dissolve the committee. The so called general meeting that dissolved the committee is unconstitutional because, after the October 1st meeting, the next meeting should have been in December.
“My election as the Secretary of Okpuno Development Union was supervised by the Obi of Nnewichi on April 15th, 2017, and our tenure expires on April 14th, 2022.
“I remain the secretary and the highest ranging member of Okpuno Development Union Executive Committee; and I will protect my mandate.”
Prince Nwachukwu described the Board of Trustee Members as ambitious people, whose decisions are inconsistent with the constitution of the union.
He also threatened to take the BOT members to court if they failed to abide by the constitution of union.
Speaking on the allegation that he resigned as the Secretary of Okpuno Development Union before the meeting that dissolved the executive committee, he said, “I never resigned my office as secretary of the union before the unconstitutional meeting that dissolved the entire executive.
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“I challenge those making that false allegations to show my resignation letter.”
He described the insinuations that he was involved in financial misconduct as lies.
On the claim that youths of the community removed the former chairman of Okpuno Development Union, the embattled secretary said, “Ebere Ngonadi was never impeached; his tenure elapsed, and audit committee was setup to investigate the financial dealings of Mr. Ebere Ngonadi’s administration.”
Anaedooline made efforts to reach other interested parties to speak on the issue but all efforts proved abortive.
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