The Anambra government has said that the Oba community in Idemili Local Government Area does not have a traditional ruler at the moment.

Mr. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said this at a news conference in Awka on Monday.

The people of Oba had allegedly conducted an election for a successor to Igwe Peter Ezenwa, who died in 2018.

Nwabunwanne said there was no election allegedly conducted by the community that was known to the government, which had full supervisory power over community and union matters.

He said that there was a subsisting court order stopping the conduct of elections into the traditional ruler’s seat of Oba community and any exercise in contempt of court would not be recognised by the government.

He said that the government did not supervise the process as the law demanded because it was conducted in contempt of Court.

“As at today, there is no traditional ruler or Igwebuike Cabinet in Oba Community, there is a court order which barred conduct of traditional ruler election before us and until that order is dispensed with, there can be no election.

“The Anambra government is hereby issuing a bench warrant on anybody parading himself as the traditional ruler of Oba Community, such a person should be arrested by the security agencies,” he said.

Nwabunwanne said that the Anambra government would do all that was necessary to ensure peace, security and social order.

He insisted that communities must respect the laws of the state and constitutions they made for themselves.