Protest against adultration of our constitution

11th August, 2014. The Hon. Commissioner, Rural Development, 1 Constitution Road, Enugu. Dear Sir, AMANKWO OGHE CONSTITUTION REVIEW I wish to respond to the report made by Igwe’s group to your office that I refused to join them in the constitution review as directed by you. Having gone through a copy of their constitution, which they have already signed and adopted by Igwe without the knowledge/concept of the community, I consider it a futility to be having squabble with them on an issue that concerns the entire community. The committee chairman and secretary should have read their constitution to the community before signing and adopting it. My Hon. Commissioner Sir, what they did was a mutilation of the original work of our professionals. They did it to legalize Igwe’s despotic rule in the community and to accommodate their deficiencies to enable them achieve their selfish desires. Their constitution is in sharp disparity with the original constitution and it lacked merit. Sir, please be patient to follow me as I am point out the major differences in the constitutions. Section 4.1: The original constitution said the supreme authority of the Town Union shall be vested in the General Assembly, while their own said the supreme authority of the Town Union shall be vested in the General Assembly under the authority of Igwe. Their statement is vague. Section 5.0: In the original constitution, organs of the Town Union included the general assembly, while their own constitution removed the general assembly, even as they mentioned it in their previous section 4.1. This is not understandable. Section 5.1.1: The original constitution provided for clear demarcation between the Igwe in council and the Town Union, while their own stated that Igwe in council shall consist of the town union executives. They did this to ensure they put the town union under the control of Igwe. It is not proper. Section 5.4.2: of their constitution gave Igwe the authority to form a care taker committee at the end of any tenure of the Town Union: They added this to legalize Igwe’s already formed caretaker committee, which was rejected by the commissioners for chieftaincy matters and the rural development; and also inconsistence with section26 of Revised Edition (Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria) 2004. Up till now, H.R.H, in total disobedient and violation of the existing law in Enugu State, is still parading his appointed Pastor Clifford Okechukwu as the President General of Amankwo Oghe. Section 6.0: of the original constitution said that the president general and the Vice President shall not come from the same component unit as Igwe. Their own did not give any restriction. The implication is that Igwe’s son or family member can as well occupy the position of President General in our community at the same time. This negates the principle of equity and balance of power, which was provided for in the original constitution. Section 6.2: of their constitution repeated that Igwe has the power to dissolve Town Union at the end of any tenure and form a caretaker committee. This is inconsistence with the laws of Enugu State of Nigeria. Section 6.6: of their constitution lowered the academic qualification of the key officers of the Town Union to S.S.C.E. This was done to accommodate the academic deficiencies of the people Igwe presently appointed to lead the town union. This is not for the best interest of our community. The original constitution required the key officers of the Town Union to have minimum of first degree or its equivalent. Section 10.3B: of their constitution gave Igwe the authority to personally select people he likes to make up the cabinet. This is against the provisions of the original constitution that provided for democratically elected people from the wards to make up the cabinet. They did it to legalize Igwe’s action of rejecting some people who were elected by their wards to represent them at the cabinet. This issue has been a major problem ravaging the peace and unity of the entire community since 2004, with some legal tussles between Igwe and the concerned wards. The same section of their constitution also gave Igwe the authority to suspend or sack any member of the cabinet and to dissolve the cabinet at the end of four-year tenure and select new members. They added this in the constitution to justify Igwe’s action in dissolving his cabinet which he said openly at the commissioner for chieftaincy matters office when we had a matter there. Note that Igwe’s refusal to accept the original constitution, which was sanctioned by more than 80% of his cabinet members then, was the prime among the problems Igwe is having with his cabinet. He is currently working without a cabinet for more than one year now. Section 11.1 Amendment of the constitution: their constitution said the amendment should be the duty of the cabinet as against the provision of the original constitution which said it should be the duty of the town union. Hon. Commissioner Sir, let me inform you that 90 % of those they claimed to be 15 component ward/ cabinet chiefs of Amankwo Oghe, who signed their constitution (adopted by Igwe) are neither cabinet chiefs nor representatives of their wards in the cabinet. It is also worthy to note that two persons among the signatories of their constitution (Sir Johnson Oguanya (No. 8) who signed for Izama na Etiti ward and Anigbo Kevin (No. 11) who signed for Dimagbala ward) are the same people Igwe denied before the commissioner for chieftaincy matters that he did not make chiefs. Igwe issued to them warning letters to stop parading themselves as chiefs in the community for the interest of peace law and order. Please see attached copies of the letters. H.R.H has perfected his plans to secretly make the rest of them chiefs on or before October 2014, as a thank you gift for signing the constitution for him and to use them as the new members of his cabinet to replace the ones he said he has sacked/dissolved. Please sir, let me take a little more of your time to briefly explain how this original constitution that Igwe rejected was packaged by our elite. It was Igwe himself that mandated the town union to make a constitution for Amankwo Oghe. A five man committee headed by Engr. Ejike Anigbo was formed at about May 2010. The committee produced a draft and it was read to the entire community on 3rd October 2010. The attendance sheet recorded more than 80 people, including our illustrious sons and daughters. It was agreed at the meeting that copies of the constitution be produced and share to 15 wards in Amankwo, the Igwe, the cabinet, and all the braches of Amankwo communities outside Enugu etc. One Chief Emeka Oga, Lagos based, donated the sum of Eight Thousand Naira (N8,000) to sponsor the duplication. Enough time was given for people to make their inputs. Lagos Brach committee was headed by Dr. Kris Ohanemu, a senior lecturer in the university; his secretary was Sir, Basil Offor an accountant with Nigerian Customs Lagos. Abuja Branch was headed by Simeon Aguedu and Kenneth Ogwu, Barr. Peter Ozoagu contributed immensely, Correspondents from our brothers in the USA was received from Dr. Vita Okechukwu, a medical doctor in the United States of America. You may inquire to know the integrity of the mentioned persons involved in the making of this original constitution that is now being mutilated in the name of review. It is this constitution that was used to register the Town Union and in conducting the town Union election of 7th December 2013. If it is actually necessary to review our constitution, the community shall engage their credible people for such sensitive task, not this type of chairman and secretary Igwe is using to cause more confusion in the community. I want you to know that Igwe is rejecting the original constitution because he saw it as a restriction to his dictatorial rule, likewise his rejection of the present town union leadership. Igwe will never want the existence of any town union that can stand their feet to promote democracy, equity, peace and progress in the community. Finally, I want to recall that Amankwo Oghe Town Union, in their various petitions, have repeatedly called on the government of Enugu State to look into the activities of H.R.H Igwe C.C. Obueke in the community and take decisive decision to save the community from anarchy. This is very necessary. Thank you for your patience in going through my long elucidation. I attach copies of the two constitutions and the letters that was issued to Kelvin Anigbo and Johnson Oguanya. Yours faithfully, Engr. Silas Anonde 08033172151 Cc: The Hon. Commissioner for Chieftaincy matters, Enugu State. The Executive Chairman of Ezeagu Local Government Area, Aguobu-Owa. The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State. The Divisional Police Officer, Aguobu-Owa.