August 29, (THEWILL) – The Executive Chairman of Ivo Local Government Area, Hon. Ajah Emmanuel, said he has restored peace to the once crisis-ridden communities in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Ajah, who disclosed this in an interview during the election of new leadership for Amaeze community in Ishiagu, told journalists that there were a lot of crises in Ivo Local Government Area when he came on board, he, however, made peace his number one priority, which he said has been achieved.
According to him, he has brought peace back to Ivo community, adding that a lot of people died during the former election because it was a kangaroo election, but commended the free, fair and peaceful process of the recent election, as directed by the governor of the state.
Ajah said, “Today, I have brought peace to Ivo Local Government Area. I have brought peace to Amaeze community because a lot of people died while the last election was conducted. It was a kangaroo election. But this time around, I say no to eveil, that the people’s mandate must be upheld. But this time around, people must rejoice. We do not want people from anywhere or Abakaliki to come and impose someone on the people. It is not a case of appionting this one or that one. The people’s mandate must be upheld.
“People must be allowed to vote according to their conscience and vote for their own people. So that of the person is doing what is bad, they will know they voted him in. He must live up to the mandate of the people. So, I must thank His Excellency Rt Hon Francis Ogbanna Nwifuru, the governor of Ebonyi State for his wisdom to constitute this committee that conducted this election to my place.”
President General of Ishiagu Development Union, IDU, David Ahah, has tasked the newly elected executive of Amaeze community, led by Ogbonnaya Nweni to make peace their watchword in the rich mineral deposit community of Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Barring his mind on the outcome of the election held at Amaeze community in Ivo Local Government Area, to elect new set of leaders, the President-General said the election had laid to rest the tension, which was characterised by killings and other forms of insecurity.
He expressed deep worry over killings resulting from agitation from the mineral deposits in the area, saying that his quest to ensure the judicious use of proceeds from the mineral deposits in the area had led to the calling of his removal from office.
He said, “This is exactly what the ishiagite have been looking for. This place has been tensed up. They have been killing themselves one after another because of the stone in this place. I think it is the grace that God gave them. It is something they do not need to fight for.
“But God gave it to Amaeze community for them to better their lives , but they are killing themselves because of this. But I think today, it has been settled because they have gotten somebody that they want. They have a lot of mineral resources. We want the new administration to concentrate on peace because where there is no peace, there will be no progress.
“I am the President-General of Ishiagu, I have contributed meaningfully to their development. I know I have spent up to twenty million naira 20, 000.00 here to make sure there is peace. Even when they killed people here, I was the one that brought police for the burial to make sure that that family benefited from the community. I budgeted about 20,000.00 and gave it to them.
“I have committed more than 30,000,000 to make sure there is stability. I employed some people from outside this community, from Rivers State to make sure they guide the bush and later we succeeded. But recently some people wrote petition to the Army and those people working for Ishiagu community were arrested. Three days later, they kidnapped about ten persons that were later rescued by the police crack team. And recently there was another kidnapping.
“And the women went and wrote petition against those people that wrote the petition, equally we signed our own. There are local vigilante. Immediately the people were arrested by the soldiers, this kidnapping resumed . We want the government to call those people that wrote petition to the soldiers and ask them why they should do that because they are involved in this kidnapping. We want them to be investigated.
“I am working on electricity and soon there will be electric light. I make sure I spent 200,000,000,00 to restore light to this community. And people are working against me, telling the government to remove me. Now their is light at Ishiagu now, the EEDC are working now. Before the end of this week, there must be light in Ishiagu. I have sworn that I must restore light to Ishiagu”Ajah assured.
Speaking after the election also, the Ebonyi State Commissioners for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution and his counterpart for Rural Development, Hon. Illang Donatus and Barrister Ikeuwa Omebe, who superintended over the election, said it is the mandate of Governor Francis Nwifuru to allow the people to decide their leaders which is anchored on the People’s Charter of Needs.
The elected President of Amaeze community, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area, Michael Nweni, promised to do a wonderful job for his people and carry everybody along.
He said, “The election is very fantastic. It is a free and fair election. There are all my brothers, I will carry everybody along. There is nothing like removing Theophilus Okonkwo. What they are saying is election propaganda. I have never think about that. I will do wonderful job to them. I promise to provide water through digging of boreole to the sevn Hamlets. I will also do some roads”, he vowed.
The picture of the newly elected Amaeze community Chairman, Michael Nweni
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
