The South East leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed shock over the suspension of the paramount ruler of Neni Community, His Royal Highness Damian Ezeani, by Anambra State government for conferring a chieftaincy title on the Senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Uba.
The party also condemned the arrest of the “favourite” for the Arochukwu traditional stool, in Abia State, Godwin Idei, over false allegation of impersonation.
It called on the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, prominent Igbo and Nigerians to rise and condemn the act, which, it said, undermined the tradition of Ndigbo.
Igwe Ezeani’s suspension followed a letter by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Tony Nwabunwanne, accusing him of breaching established code of conduct for traditional rulers in Anambra, which mandates obtaining permission from the traditional ruler of the recipient’s community and clearance from the ministry.
Reacting to the incidents, APC stated that it was an aberrational affront against Igbo traditional institutions.
South East Zonal Chairman of the party, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, decried the actions of the Anambra and Abia state governments, as an attempt to make Igbo crowns and stools an appendage of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Labour Party (LP) led governments in Anambra and Abia states, respectively.
He said: “We received with shock the recent suspension of an esteemed traditional ruler, HRH Damian Ezeani, the Igwe of Neni Community. At first, we thought there was some untruth in the story until it was confirmed.
“This came with the arrest and illegal detention of the acclaimed Eze Aro of Arochukwu Kingdom , Godwin Idei, for impersonation even when he had been rightfully crowned as the Eze Aro by the traditional ruler of Ibom Isii, Eze Nwa Kanu.”
“It is, indeed, sad and deserving of full condemnation for such an aberrational affront against Igbo traditional institutions, which we should cherish and nurture, rather than drag into the mud.”
The party quarried the rationale behind the suspension of the monarch, as, according to it, he was not the first to have done so, while seeking the release of the Abia monarch.
