Members of Okochi quarters in Okpuno community, Awka South Local Government Area, have staged a peaceful protest , alleging leadership imposition on them by certain persons in the community, calling on Anambra State government to wade into their matter.
The protesters disclosed that there are attempts to enthrone a leadership structure in the villages of Okochi quarters without conducting a free and fair election as enshrined in their constitution.
The protest took place on Saturday , which was a day scheduled for chairmanship election in the villages.
They accused the leadership of the community for imposing on them the people that have long overstayed their tenure and rejected by the quarters.
The protesters who brandished placards with inscriptions like ‘No dictatorship in Okochi, Respect People’s Desire, Let There be Election no Imposition of Candidates and no to state of anarchy’, told Okpuno Electoral Committee who came to conduct the election, that what they need is a credible election and not to impose on them any candidate.
Speaking to newsmen, the Okochi quarter spokesman and Auditor General of Okpuno Progressive Union, Mr. Daniel Akuchukwu claimed that some of the candidates who aspire for chairmanship, having undergone thorough screening processes and qualified for the election, were disqualified a night before the election by the community leadership without stipulating cogent reasons for such disqualification.
Mr. Akuchukwu said that with the disqualification of some candidates overnight, they, as quarters feel disenfranchised, while adding that the quarters have been living peacefully and do not want any crises, and adding that what the villagers opted for is a democratic election where all their votes will count.
According to the Stakeholders Chairman of Okochi quarters, Nze Patrick Okafor, and a villager, Mr. Chukwudi Nwachukwu, they have written to relevant authorities in the community, but attention was not given to them, adding that the reason for the agitation is because they want true representatives that have their interests at heart and not imposed candidates.
They appealed to the government of Professor Chukwuma Soludo to wade into their matter urgently as they are tired of god- fatherism.
On their parts, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwoye from the quarters and Chief Ekene Obiora who was among the disqualified candidates, alleged that no meaningful development has been witnessed since over ten years of imposition of leaders on them, noting that their roads are in a sorry state, while erosion is destroying their land as a result of bad leadership.
Reacting, the Chairman of Okpuno Electoral Committee, Mr. Chuka Onwuzulike, said they only came to discharge their duties in line with the mandate given to them and would report back to the authorities the outcome of the exercise.
The three villages that make up Okochi quarters are Okachamma, Obunamma and Umuife.
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