By Ndudi Olumba, Owerri
The continual stay of HRM Eze Emmanuel Okeke,(Eze Imo) as the Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Community Policing, years after the expiration of his constitutional two terms tenure has drawn the wraths of Odi Nma Ndi Imo, a sociocultural pressure group asking Imo State government to immediately do the needful or face regrettable court actions.
The revered organization disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing Journalists in Owerri through their Coordinator Chief Cosmos Dike and Hon. Peter Igwilo, the Secretary General at a popular hotel.
The group recalled that Imo State of Nigeria Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities and Allied matters law No. 15 of 2016 (as amended) recognizes two year tenure for the office of the Chairman (Eze Imo), Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Community Policing and an optimal opportunity of second tenure of another 2 years, making 4 year maximum constitutionally allowed tenure for the Eze Imo position in the State.
It’s pertinent to remember that, HRM Eze E.C. Okeke of Amaifeke Orlu ancient Kingdom was appointed by Governor Hope Uzodimma as the Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Community Policing and he assumed office on April 2020 after being sworn in for a constitutional term of 2 years tenure.
It was surprising that the tenure after ending on April 2022, and probably as the State constitution permits neither the State Governor nor the State House of Assembly made any official pronouncement for the continuity of the second tenure, which ordinarily ended in April 2024 with Okeke on the saddle of leadership.
This most Imo citizens complained then against Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration and the leadership of the State House of Assembly as the constitutional breach and vehemently warned against the implications as further democratic rape.
It was unfortunate that both the State government under the Shared Prosperity of Governor Hope Uzodimma and the State House Assembly felt unperturbed of making the needed constitutional pronouncement authenticating the second tenure, but resort to conspiracy of silence by quietly allowing HRM Eze Emmanuel Okeke to continue till date as the administrative head of the State revered traditional institution and Community Policing.
Thus, it’s a historical record that Eze Emmanuel Okeke, an in-law to Governor Hope Uzodimma has spent over 6 years now over seeing the activities of the State traditional institution and Community Policing while the State government and the leadership of the State House of Assembly seriously keeps blind eyes and sealed lips despite constitutional breach, democratic rape, public outcry and condemnations.
This situation prompted some critics and human rights activists in the State to launch media attack against the State government and her law makers for the past two weeks now, demanding the State government to do the needful alleging that the State revered traditional institution has being subjected to ridicules and disrepute.
Moreso, investigations by this reporter, have equally revealed that most of the traditional rulers in the State are highly aggrieved over the status quo, which they criticized as wrong precedent that would continue to hunt the State traditional institution if not quickly arrested.
The Odi Nma Ndi Imo sociocultural pressure group further expressed regrets that last week, HRM Eze Emmanuel Okeke as the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Rulers Council and Community Policing during a press briefing at his office along Mbari Street, Ikenegbu Owerri instead of addressing the issue of undue tenure elongation causing rifts within the traditional institution, that he arrogantly said that his greatest concern now is to ensure that an indigene of Owerri senatorial zone succeeds Governor Hope Uzodimma in 2027.
The group said they consider that statement as an insult to the generalities of Imolites and most especially the State government alleging that Eze Emmanuel Okeke has assumed the status of ” power intoxication and being above the law”.
The group also revealed that as critical stakeholders, they have advanced plans to institute court cases against Governor Hope Uzodimma and Imo State government for alleged breach of constitutional provisions if nothing as afore stated is not done soon.
