Daniel Agu
A Socio-political Group, Edda Renaissance Group, has frowned at an alleged attempt by the Edda Local Government Chairman, Prince Chima Ekumankama to impose Councilors in the 11 electoral wards of the Council, warning that such action if allowed to scale through, will not be healthy for the council and may jeopardize the fragile peace in the area.
In a chat with journalists in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, the National Convener of the group, Mr Udu Nkama Ama and secretary, Sunday Okoro lamented that despite the overwhelming support given to the Chairman for his second term, he is not satisfied, but bent on destabilizing the existing zoning arrangements at the Ward levels.
The group also alleged that despite the agitations in various wards, they have information that the Council Chairman went ahead to release the huge sums of money to the eleven ward Councilors serving under him to obtain their expression of interest and nomination form for the July 20, election.
The group also alleged that the council Chairman, Prince Chima Ekumankama, has been using his powers to suppress any aspirants who want to obtain fora m, insisting that all the 11 Ward Councilors currently serving under him must be returned irrespective of the cries and wishes of the people.
The Group appealed to the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, Senator Sonni Oguorji and other relevant stakeholders of Edda to prevail on the Council Chairman to jettison his decision and allow the zoning process that had existed in the various wards to stand.
"We're here to register our displeasure over the high-handedness of our Council Chairman, Hon. Prince Chima Ekumankama on how is bent on destabilizing the existing zoning arrangements in our various wards in Edda Local Government Area.
"Our group is totally in support of the second term bid of our Chairman, Prince Chima Ekumankama but we are against his plans to impose the Ward Councilors on the people.
"We have our ways of rotating Councilors in the various villages that make up the ward and Chima should allow that to stand for the interest of peace, justice and fair play in Edda land.
"We frowned at how he Harrasses and intimidates those who want to obtain a form for a councilorship position in their various wards and urge him to respect the opinion and wishes of the people and allow the ward Executives and Stakeholders to decide who represents them at the legislative council as directed by the state Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
"We have also received information that the Chairman has released money to the eleven ward Councilors to purchase their nomination form and urge him to reciprocate the all-inclusive and magnanimity of our Governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, who despite his enormous powers bestowed on the party local Government Executives and the stakeholders the right to choose the person that will be their council Chairman.
"We call on our listening leaders, the State APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, Senator Sonni Oguorji and other stakeholders of Edda to prevail on our amiable council Chairman to allow the zoning arrangements in our various wards to stand.
"We will continue to support him to deliver the dividends of democracy to Edda people but the people must not be shortchanged", he stated.
Reacting, the Edda Council Chairman - Prince Chima Ekumankama described the allegation as falsehood and unfounded.
