By Emma Okereh
Ahead of the governorship election in Anambra State in 2021, the Council of Anambra-North Traditional Rulers have declared their support for Anambra-South Senatorial Zone to produce the next governor of the state.
In a communiqué issued after a meeting in Nteje signed by the Chairman of the Anambra-North Chapter of the Anambra State Forum of Traditional Rulers Council (ASTRC), Igwe Victor Awogu, and the Secretary, Igwe Simeon Chidubem, the forum disassociated themselves completely from a newspaper publication of March 22nd, 2020, where some traditional rulers purporting to be speaking for the zone, opposed rotation/zoning of the Office of the Governor of Anambra State.
They stated in the Communiqué: “We wish to disassociate members of the Anambra-North Chapter of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council from the newspapers publication, wherein some traditional rulers, purporting to be speaking for Ndi Igwe Anambra-North, opposed the rotation/zoning of the office of the Governor of Anambra State.
“At no time other than June 6, 2020, did Ndi Igwe Anambra-North discuss and take position on the rotation/zoning of the office of the Governor of Anambra State.
“We affirm that it is the turn of Anambra-South Senatorial Zone to produce the next Governor of Anambra, for two terms of eight years, starting from March 16th, 2022, in keeping with the position already taken in 2007, by the Anambra State Traiditional Rulers Council (ASTRC) and re-echoed on March 5th, 2020, by the Anambra State Elders Forum.
“We commend the state government under the indefatigable leadership of His Excellency, Governor Willy M. Obiano, for his effective management of the affairs of Anambra State, since 2013, but laid particular emphasis on the spectacular capacity, so far demonstrated in the containment of COVID-19 pandemic”.
The royal fathers also condemned in strong terms, hostilities recently witnessed in a number of communities in Anambra-North Senatorial Zone, saying “such shameful acts portrayed the zone in bad light and caused our illustrious son, Governor Willie Obiano very anxious moments.
“We also resolved to use time tested traditional method of Igbandu/Iko mme to enthrone lasting peace in the affected Anambra-North communities, while thanking the state government for setting up peace building committees”.
The group called on President Muhammadu Buhari and all statae governors to join hands in ensuring that COVID-19 is defeated in the shortest possible time to enable Nigerians resume normal social and economic activities.
