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NONSO OKAFOR’S VICTORY IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TO NNEWICHI COMMUNITY – BENNETH NGONADI.

The Former President-General of Nzuko-Ora Nnewi, Chief Benneth Ngonadi has rejected the outcome of March 9th Anambra State House of Assembly Election for Nnewi North Constituency in which Nonso Okafor (SMART) of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 13,231 votes to defeat his closest rival, Obinna Ngonadi of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), who polled 12,383.

Chief Benneth Ngonadi who is also the Uncle of Obinna Ngonadi of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), while speaking in an interview with Anaedoonline yesterday, 20th March, 2019, said that the result of election do not represent the wishes of Nnewi following the cancellation of six thousand (6,000) votes.

Speaking further, Chief Benneth said that the Victory of Nonso Peter Okafor is not acceptable to Nnewichi community since he was not a product of zoning.

Reacting on the issue of zoning he said, “As the former President of Nzuko-Ora Nnewi, I am a product of zoning, I became PG because the position was zoned to Nnewichi community, here in Nnewichi, we decided to zone it to Okpuno community, I contested the election with Barr. Enuma, the Former Local Government Chairman of Nnewi, who also came from the same kindred with me, I won the election with 264 votes while he got 24 votes. This happened because of zoning, it prevented rancor, struggle, marginalization and controversies.

“In 2017, The President-General of Nnewichi, Mr. Cyprian Okolo, appointed a committee to handle the zoning arrangement for Nnewichi, the committee lasted a year and four month, the committee was a Nine (9) Man committee, Three persons were selected from Okpuno because Okpuno has three local wards while Two (2) persons each were selected from Abubor, Obiofia, and Odida which made the committee was a nine Man committee. After sitting for about 17 times, the committee agreed that the rotation should start with Okpuno Nnewichi as the head village of Nnewichi, after which it should rotate to the other villages starting with Abubor, Obiofia and Odida Nnewichi. The representatives of Okpuno , Abubor and Obiofia signed the document while Odida the representative refused to sign because they felt they have people in government who can protect them. Odida community went ahead to present their son , Nonso Okafor to contest the election against the zoning arrangement in Nnewichi. Nonso Okafor is not accepted here in Nnewichi because he was not supposed to contest, therefore, he is rejected. That position he is about to occupy belongs to Okpuno”. He said

Asked if Nonso Okafor emergence is acceptable to him , he said “The election that produced him as the winner remains inconclusive because it was filled with malpractices, about 6,000 votes were not counted and the difference between APGA and YPP currently stands at 848, the returning officers appears to be compromised. There must be a rerun election.

On the rejection of Nonso Okafor’s homage visit by the Traditional ruler of Nnewichi, Obi George Onyekaba, he said, ” Obi Nnewichi took the right stand every normal human being will take, the day the President-General of Nnewichi, Mr. Cyprian Okolo, told everybody to go and contest, Obi Nnewichi cautioned him and him that he was setting up a crisis. I support Obi Nnewichi 100% with his decision to reject Nonso Okafor.

Asked if there is a solution to the crisis, he said, “Those supporting Nonso Okafor should keep supporting him, until we get there. They are telling him nothing will happen, but they should know that something must happen”.

On the argument that Okpuno Nnewichi have occupied the three (3) previous positions which was zoned to Nnewichi, he said, “Benchuks Nwosu and Anthony Enuma were not a product of zoning of Nnewichi, I am the only one that is a product of zoning arrangement of Nnewichi”.