The Public Complaints Commission (PCC), established to entertain from citizens, complaints of injustice, corruption, unfair treatment, and abuse of office by public officers has resolved the crisis between Igwe Godwin Ezeilo, Traditional Ruler of Nanka Community, Orumba North Council Area of Anambra and Chief Walter Okeke over Afor Nanka market land allocation.
Okeke, a business mogul had on July 11, 2019, petitioned PCC over alleged infringement on his proprietary right to a portion of land validated to him by the Orumba North council area by Ezeilo.
Okeke tendered a survey plan he had on the land including other documentary evidences to support his claim that the land in question was duly allocated to him by the council in 2016 for the purpose of building a bank block.
In his response, Ezeilo said he was the original allotee of the land when it was given to prominent sons of Nanka in 2014 for them to develop.
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The monarch could not lay claim to the land because it was no longer available in 2015 when he said he got it and the market was a community property which no individual could appropriate permanently by having a survey plan.
He said the space was allocated to him to build bank block and an eatery.
Deciding the case on Tuesday, Samben Nwosu, Federal Commissioner of PCC in charge of Anambra office said the commission had done due diligence in investigating the matter.
Nwosu said the commission visited the site and obtained every necessary information and evidence from the council concerning the land.
He said though both parties were at different times allocated the space in the market for the same purpose, they had lost their propriety rights as at the time the matter was brought to the PCC.
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Nwosu said both parties failed to meet the conditions which stipulated that they must develop the land within a particular time or lose their titles, hence their inability to get revalidation from the council.
The Commissioner further said the council had acknowledged the irregularities in the allocation processes and had also realised the expanse of land involved was big enough for two bank blocks
He, therefore, ruled that the land be divided for the two parties, that two bank blocks be built on the land with Block One for Ezeilo while Block Two should go to Okeke, the complainant.
Nwosu told the parties to go back to Nanka and develop their community in the interest of the people and to accept the verdict in good faith as there were no loser and no winner in the matter.
Speaking on behalf of the petitioner, Chief Chibuikem Okeke lauded the PCC in its wisdom in resolving the impasse.
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Okeke said the commissioners had demonstrated that parties could get justice and still go home happy.
He urged other Nigerians to explore the PCC option in the resolution of disputes.
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