Umueri Town Union Crisis Deepens as Ikenga Quarter Threatens to Sue Anambra East Mayor over Terrorists Tag

By Praise Chinecherem

The town union crisis rocking Umueri town in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State has taken a deeper turn as General Assembly and Elders Council of Ikenga Umueri Progressive Union have threatened to drag Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon Ifeanyi Chinweze to court for allegedly calling them terrorists.

Ikenga, one of the major quarters of Umueri, have given the Mayor 48 hours to tender unreserved public apology or face litigation.

The group expressed fear that such statement would endanger lives and safety of innocent Ikenga Umueri sons and daughters both at home and in diaspora if left unchallenged.

It also warned the Council Chairman not to intimidate vulnerable people of Umueri as the community prepare to elect new executive members of Umueri General Assembly (UGA), on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026.

Meanwhile, AnambraDaily also gathered that the Anambra East Mayor has denied allegations of a leadership crisis in Umueri General Assembly, calling the statement from Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum “
false and misleading.

Addressing journalists, Chinweze Insists that Umueri town is peaceful, and claimed that Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum, which issued the statement, was actually frustrating the election with selfish motives.

Chinweze distanced himself, the President General of Umueri, Chief John Metchie, and electoral committee chairman Barr. Eugene Aghaebe from the allegations, saying they were innocent.

This paper learnt that the controversy arose after Chinweze insisted Ikenga should not hold key positions like, Secretary, and Vice President simultaneously since they presently hold the position of President General of the Community, considering Umueri’s three quarters (Ezi, Ikenga, and Invite).

However, the Ikenga Umueri General Assembly and Elders Forum in a statement jointly signed by Chief Ezeakonobi Ekwueonu, Chief Peter Udeano, Chief John Ajana and Chinedu Ekwueonu, had vowed to resist any attempt by Hon. Chinweze to disenfranchise its members during the town union leadership voting process.

The statement read in part, “The General Assembly and Elders Council of Ikenga Umueri Progressive Union, the highest constitutional authority of the Union, vested with sovereign power to speak and act on behalf of all Ikenga Umueri people, convened in a duly constituted session on Monday, April 6 2026, in the exercise of their constitutional mandate.

“The session deliberated on matters of urgent concern to the community principal among them: the ongoing crisis within the Umueri General Assembly (UGA), the suspension of the UGA election now rescheduled for 8th April 2026, the unlawful disqualification of candidates from Otuocha Quarter on account of their Ikenga Umueri roots.

“Other matters deliberated was the publication of a dangerous and irresponsible statement by the Mayor of Anambra East Local Government Area, in which he described Ikenga sons in Malaysia as “terrorists” and likened them to Simon Ekpa of IPOB.

“After thorough and candid deliberations, the General Assembly and Elders Council resolved unanimously as follows:

“The Electoral Committee is directed to restore the status quo that existed prior to the suspension of the election.

“All candidates who were duly screened, cleared, and published in the Electoral Committee’s official list before the suspension was declared must be allowed to contest for the specific positions they were cleared for, without alteration, substitution, or additional conditions.

“No person who did not purchase the nomination form, undergo screening, and appear on the Electoral Committee’s published list of cleared candidates prior to the suspension of the election shall be permitted to participate in the rescheduledelection.

“The Electoral Committee must not open a new window for nominations under any guise.

“The positions allocated to Otuocha Quarter must not be subjected to micro-zoning.

“The framework of free, open participation that has governed previous UGA elections and under which the present representatives from Otuocha were elected must remain intact.

“Any attempt to restrict or manipulate the internal structure of Otuocha’s representation through the imposition of micro-zoning constitutes a breach of the established electoral order and will not be accepted.

“Otuocha Umueri was constitutionally created and recognized as a full-fledged quarter, and it must be allowed to function as such. So long as that constitutional.

“Status remains in force, no person or body may subject Otuocha to micro-zoning, obnoxious interference, or any arrangement that undermines its standing as a complete and autonomous quarter.

“If, however, there are those who no longer wish to recognize Otuocha Umueri as a full-fledged quarter, the only lawful path open to them is to first amend the UGA Constitution and formally return Otuocha to function under ikenga Umueri Quarter — its original home and rightful constituency.

“Any attempt to treat Otuocha as less than a full quarter without first effecting that constitutional amendment is illegal, null, and void, and will be resisted by Ikenga Umueri in its entirety.

“The Mayor of Anambra East Local Government Area is hereby put on notice to retract, in full and without qualification, his reckless and malicious publication in which he described sons of Ikenga Umueri residing in Malaysia as “terrorists” and drew a comparison with Simon Ekpa of the proscribed IPOB.

“This statement is defamatory, incendiary, and wholly without basis. It has the capacity to endanger the lives and safety of innocent Ikenga Umueri sons and daughters both at home and abroad.

“The Mayor must render an unreserved public apology to the Ikenga Umueri community within forty-eight (48) hours of the issuance of this Communiqué.

“Failure to do so will leave Ikenga Umueri Progressive Union with no option but to pursue all lawful remedies available.

“The General Assembly and Elders Council place on record their sincere appreciation to the conveners of this session, to the Deputy President General of the Umueri General Assembly, and to the Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum (IUUF) for their steadfast commitment and representative efforts in navigating the lingering UGA election crisis.

“Their diligence in keeping the interests of Ikenga Umueri at the forefront of these deliberations is acknowledged and commended.

“Ikenga Umueri Progressive Union remains committed to the peace, unity, and progress of the entire Umueri community.

“We call on all stakeholders — the Electoral Committee, the leadership of the Umueri General Assembly, the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, and well-meaning community members — to act in accordance with the law, the constitution, and the traditions that bind us as one people.

“Let it be known that Ikenga Umueri stands united, and will not yield to any attempt to diminish, disenfranchise, or intimidate its people.”