Members of the Ugwuagba Obosi Community Landlords Association have protested at the Old Government House in Awka, calling on Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to intervene in the lingering leadership crisis within the association.
The protesters appealed to the governor to direct the Mayor of Idemili North Local Government Area, Chief Stanley Nkwoka, and the President-General of Obosi Community, Barrister Chimezie Obi, to recognise and allow the association’s purportedly elected chairman, Chief Bartholomew Okwuosa, and his executive to assume office.
Displaying placards, the protesters accused some community and local government officials of interfering in the affairs of the association and insisted that the September 30, 2026 election was conducted freely and fairly.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “Government should come to our aid and give Ugwuagba their mandate,” and “Election of Ugwuagba was free and fair.”
Speaking to journalists during the protest, Okwuosa alleged that the election was conducted peacefully by the President-General of Obosi Community, Barrister Obi, and monitored by representatives of the Anambra State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs.
He claimed that four days after the election, the Idemili North Mayor, Chief Nkwoka, cancelled the exercise on the grounds that it was not conducted by the local government.
Okwuosa questioned the authority of the mayor to cancel an election which he said was approved and monitored by the state ministry, and appealed to the state government to resolve the matter.
Other members of the association, including Chinedu Ezeike and Comrade Ekene Mbaeyi, supported the call for government intervention, urging the authorities to address the dispute promptly.
However, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Barrister Vin Ezeaka, said the state government was already aware of the matter and would work towards resolving the dispute.
Ezeaka clarified that his ministry had not received any official notification that the election had been cancelled, stressing that the authority to cancel the exercise did not rest with the Idemili North Mayor.
According to the commissioner, Barrister Obi had formally applied to the ministry for approval to conduct the election following the expiration of the tenure of the previous administration.
He said the ministry subsequently granted the approval in accordance with the agreed modalities and provisions of the association’s constitution.
Ezeaka further explained that he had not received any report of electoral malpractice from Barrister Obi that could warrant the cancellation of the election by the ministry.
He maintained that the ministry had the authority to determine the validity of the election and assured all parties that the state government would intervene to resolve the leadership crisis in the interest of peace, stability and development in Ugwuagba Obosi.
