The All Progressives Congress has faulted the indefinite suspension order placed on the traditional ruler of Neni, Igwe Damian Onwuamaeze Ezeani, by the governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo.
Soludo had taken the decision after the monarch conferred a chieftaincy title on the senator representing Anambra South and a member of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
In a statement, APC Zonal Publicity Secretary in Anambra Central, Igboeli Arinze Napoleon, said the governor’s stand that such chieftaincy titles should get clearance from the state government is absurd.
He also said the governor wanted traditional rulers in the state to be his ‘yes-boys.’
Napoleon argued that hiding under the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Law to suspend Igwe Ezeani was akin to disrespecting revered traditional institutions.
The statement reads, “We had the misfortune of witnessing yet again attempts by the Anambra State government to unnecessarily dabble into the affairs of our revered traditional institutions, following the suspension of the paramount ruler of Neni, His Royal Highness, Damian Onwuamaeze Ezeani, for conferring chieftaincy title on one of our own, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
“Hiding under the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law, Section 2 C to suspend the cultural custodian of Neni smacks of an attempt to witch-hunt Igwe Ezeani simply because he conferred a title on Senator Ubah.
“Let us ask, is Igwe Ezeani the first to have conferred a title on someone who isn’t from his community without the opprobrious demand for clearance by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs? Or has the government woken up from its deep slumber because this time around the title was conferred on Senator Ubah?
“Let us even note that the content of Section 2 C of that law is repugnant and should not be something an administration with lots of work to do in terms of unemployment, bad and poor infrastructure and most notably, the security of lives and property, should bother itself about.
“Such is only bound to muscle our traditional institutions and drag them into the murky waters of politics. Tell me, why should a government demand that it clear the recipients for such titles? The government may as well hijack the process and confer such titles on behalf of these communities with the traditional rulers now serving as yes-boys!
“The Anambra Central APC is thus calling on Governor Soludo to stop this assault on our traditional institutions by repudiating the suspension of Igwe of Neni, as well as reinstating him to the throne of his fathers.”
