…Suspended Igwe Neni Apologizes to Soludo
Although it is over a full year before the governorship election in Anambra State, early indications suggest that the hostilities may have begun, albeit in a subtle and at the same time, roaring manner.
This comes in the heels of the recent tussle between the Anambra State government and the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, who has been touted as the chosen one to fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s election.
Ubah had in October 2023 decamped from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to APC. He was later received by the party in Anambra in December, alongside Senator Uche Ekwunife, who, for her part, is touted as the running mate to Ubah for next year’s election.
The move was said to have sparked fear in the camp of the ruling party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, amid fears that the APC led Federal Government could move to capture Anambra by fair or foul means, report Jude Atupulazi, Ikeugonna Eleke, and Mike Nnebife.
The recent tussle is about the conferment of a chieftaincy title on Ubah. Ubah had within the yuletide been bestowed with the title of Odenjinji of Neni by Igwe Damian Ezeani, a title which Soludo is also known to hold from his Isuofia Community.
Apparently unhappy about Ubah’s growing influence, the Anambra State Government issued a letter suspending the monarch. The letter by the Anambra Commissioner for Local Government and Community Matters, Hon Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, suspending the monarch, accused him of not seeking clearance from the state government before bestowing titles on people, including ‘persons with questionable character’.
The Commissioner said: ‘The Code of Conduct for Traditional Rulers in Anambra provides that no traditional ruler can confer chieftaincy title on anyone from outside his domain without obtaining the permission of the traditional ruler of the recipient’s community.
‘This is to curtail observed abuses, including a growing trend whereby a minority of traditional rulers have demonstrated a penchant for trading chieftaincy titles for money, thereby bringing the traditional institution to ridicule and disrepute.
‘This brazen disregard for law and order, as well as directives by lawful authorities, cannot be tolerated in the new Anambra of today.
‘We have received confirmed reports that you conferred such a phantom chieftaincy title on one Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in violation of the code of conduct and without clearance from the Ministry. Your action is an affront to order and good governance.
‘In the light of the, above, I am directed to inform you that Mr. Governor has in the exercise of his powers suspended your recognition as traditional ruler of Neni until further notice.’
Neni Monarch Apologizes Soludo for Noncompliance with Chieftaincy Conferment Rules in Anambra
Meanwhile the traditional ruler of Neni in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, Igwe Damian Onwuamaeze Ezeani, has tendered an unreserved apology, to the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for his non-compliance with the code of conduct for traditional rulers in the state.
The Neni monarch gave the apology, on Wednesday, 10th January, during a press conference in his palace in Neni, following his suspension by the state government.
Speaking to the press, the Neni monarch denied knowledge of the code, but admitted to his wrong, hence the unreserved apology.
He said, ‘Two days ago, I got information that I’ve been suspended; somebody forwarded the copy of the letter to me which had been trending on social media till this moment.
‘The letter is talking about non-adherence to a code of conduct for giving chieftaincy titles.
‘Unfortunately, I’ve not seen such rule or law or whatever they call that code of conduct.
‘But be it as it is, since the government felt offended, I want to sincerely tender an unreserved apology to the Government of Anambra State and the Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
‘This humble and unreserved apology is being tendered on behalf of myself, my Ndi-Ichie and Council, as well as the whole Neni Community,’ he said.
Igwe Ezeani, who is the Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council, Anambra Central Senatorial District, further begged the state government to also pardon his colleagues who might have not also adhered to the code of conduct as himself.
‘By extension, if any other traditional ruler in Anambra Central Senatorial District has breached that code of conduct, I also sincerely apologize on their behalf as their chairman,’ he said.
He appealed however that whenever there was a law concerning the traditional rulers, the law should be forwarded to them.
‘I want to clarify too that this is the second Ofala I’m celebrating after 20 years of my coronation. This shows that I’m not a pompous person,’ he noted, pointing out that the mode of selecting those to be given honours in his community was the job of the committee organizing the Ofala.
‘They (the committee) will gather names, interview them, and forward the same to me.
‘Once more, I honestly and humbly apologize to whoever my chieftaincy title conferment offends. Sincerely, I don’t want my action to affect my community negatively.
‘My people hold the government and the governor in the highest esteem and the governor also holds this community in high regard,’ the Neni monarch said.
Indeed, the traditional ruler of Neni, Igwe Damian Ezeani, it is believed in many quarters, may have fallen victim to high powered politicking. Since Ubah joined APC and started receiving the support of the powers that be in the state and at the national level, there seems to be plans by APGA and state government agents to de-market him, while Ubah has also been firing salvos at the state government.
Chinedu Obigwe, an aide of the Anambra State governor, had in several press releases described Ubah in words that could be deemed unsavoury. In one of the releases, Obigwe said: ‘Senator Ifeanyi Ubah joined APC because he wants the Federal Government to forgive him his debt to AMCON.’
In yet another one he said: ‘Ekwunife and Ubah know what they are doing. They are targeting Tinubu to donate large sums of money to their accounts. They know they will still lose.’
Obigwe is not alone in the attacks on Ubah. The duo of the APGA State Chairman, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, and the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, have similarly attacked Ubah in what looked like an orchestrated action.
The 2025 governorship election drama has only started unfolding as other politicians, including the Labour Party stalwarts, have begun preparations for the contest. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to announce the date of the election within the year, and this may likely fall within November 2025.
But if what is happening at the moment is anything to go by, then more fireworks will be expected in the months ahead.
This has sparked an argument, over the rationale behind the directive of the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, with many seeing it as a political witch hunt, targeted at whittling the influence of the senator.
APC while reacting to the development called for the reinstatement of the monarch. In the statement by the Zonal Publicity Secretary of APC in Anambra Central, Mr Igboeli Arinze, the party said hiding under the Anambra State Traditional Law to suspend Igwe Ezeani was akin to disrespecting the state’s revered traditional institution and would not augur well for the peace and development of the state.
It said: ‘We had the misfortune of witnessing yet again attempts by the Anambra State Government to unnecessarily dabble into the affairs of our revered traditional institution.
‘This is following the suspension of the paramount ruler of Neni, HRH Damian Onwuamaeze Ezeani, owing to the fact that he conferred a chieftaincy title on one of our own, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
‘Hiding under the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law, Section 2 C by the Soludo Administration to suspend the cultural custodian of Neni smacks of an attempt to witch-hunt Igwe Ezeani, simply because he conferred a title on 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?
‘The APC, Anambra Central is thus calling on Governor Soludo to stop this assault on our traditional institution by repudiating the suspension of Igwe Neni, as well as reinstating him to the throne of his fathers.’
The party added that Senator Ubah’s influence was becoming intimidating to the amazement of the Soludo Administration which it described as “a non performing administration”.
Meanwhile, the man in the centre of the storm, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, has reacted. Ubah who spoke with Fides through a phone interview said the governor was simply playing politics, adding that he (Soludo) was frustrated about his (Ubah’s) growing political profile.
He said: ‘The entire game is all about politics. Soludo is being frustrated by my rising popularity. I’m not the only person to receive a chieftaincy title. The former Chief of Army Staff, Buratai, was honored within the same period; Vice President Kashim Shettima was also honored; Mr President was honored in absentia. Why is my own different?
‘The governor is frustrated by my acceptance and popularity. He is jittery about the next governorship election, but I leave him to his conscience.’
Fides has however gathered reliably that in order to legitimize the suspension and remove the coloration of witch-hunt against Ubah, the state government may likely suspend other traditional rulers who have been involved in same infraction of giving chieftaincy titles without approval.
Fides also learnt that eight other traditional rulers who conferred chieftaincy titles within the period may also be suspended too. Already, many of the monarchs involved have started begging the governor for forgiveness to save their position.
As the saga of suspensions rages, many wonder if the Anambra State Government should not have overlooked the actions of the traditional rulers for peace to reign.
One of our respondents, Mr Osita Uyawunne, said the government had only succeeded in distracting itself by dabbling into an issue it should have overlooked.
His words, ‘Look, this is an unnecessary distraction which the government has brought on itself. I’m aware that traditional rulers have been giving titles to people since the days of other governors. So why should the present government bring up this issue now? It is clear to any observer that it is politically motivated and that rubs off negatively on the state government, while attracting sympathy to Ubah. If I were the governor’s adviser I’d just tell him to overlook it.’
Another person, Chief Gilbert Okafor, believed Soludo had embarked on a war that might have no end and which could possibly pitch him against many communities ahead of the election.
‘For every Igwe that is suspended or upbraided, Soludo may possibly have a man unhappy with him. That man has many followers too and they will be unhappy with Soludo. You don’t dabble into such a war when you are preparing for an election.
Already many communities are crying out against government interference in the running of their town unions. Now when you come up against the town union and the palace, what do you expect to have?
‘I don’t think Soludo is getting this right; besides, the traditional institution should not be toyed with, it should be independent. It is rather silly to dictate to our royal fathers. What this amounts to is abuse of power and this is exactly why I am against the establishment of state police because the governors will use them to witch-hunt opponents.
