Governor Mbah and Commissioner Egunmgbe
There appears to be obvious tension in Agunese Mmaku Autonomous Community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State over an alleged plan to impose a President-General of the Town Union on the people of the area.
The aggrieved natives are accusing the State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs of being behind the plot, which they claimed is a flagrant disobedience to a court order. To this end, the people are calling on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene in the matter with a view to stemming further conflict in the community.
A native of the area, Chief Onuselogu Nevo Obasi, had sued the Community’s town union executive for alleged constitutional breach in an attempt to conduct the election. He argued that the way the accused persons were going was totally against the laid-down stipulation of their constitution and capable of causing feud in the locality.
The plaintiff further explained that the community has a zoning formula of the town union President General, which is zoned to a particular village, Ibitte Mmaku. According to him, the position rotates between the two clans of Ibitte, which some selfish individuals, in alleged connivance with the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, want to thwart.
He accused the Commissioner of Chieftaincy of insisting that a particular candidate, who is the former PG, be returned against the stipulated sharing agreement. The plaintiff further alleged that the candidate, Mr Simeon Ogbonnaya Okike, is the in-law of a director in the Ministry of Chieftaincy, Mr Ezillo, and a friend of Mrs Dike of the same ministry.
Those dragged to the Awgu Magistrate Court before His Worship, Ngozi Edith Agbo, on the 7th day of August 2026, as defendants in the case with Suit No NWG/5M/2026 include the trio of Simon Okike, Norbert Okolo and Eusebius Okolo..
Obasi, through his Counsel, C.N. Okoro (Esq.), in the suit, prayed the Honorable Court for an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, and privies from carrying on any arrangement, screening, sale, or purchase of interest form.
“And/or conduct of any election relating to the offices of the town union of Agunese Mmaku Autonomous Community pending the hearing, determination of the motion on notice”.
Upon an application by motion on notice brought pursuant to Order 4 (1) & (3) of the Magistrates Court Rules of Enugu State 2024, dated and filed on the 7th day of August 2026, and after hearing the submission of the plaintiff’s lawyer, the Court had handed down an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, and adjoined the matter to 17/8/2026 for hearing of the motion on notice.
The Plaintiff said the injunction granted by the court has not been argued by both parties, and wondered why the Chieftaincy Affairs Commissioner is head bent in conducting the election, even though he was duly notified of the existing court order by the lawyer to the instituting party.
Obasi also stated that the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice was also served with a pre-action notice on the contentious issue in court.
“In flagrant disobedience to the court order, the staff of the ministry of Chieftaincy compromised by allegedly collecting bribes from the other faction and insisted on proceeding with the election”
Obasi and his group, however, called on the state governor, Barr. Peter Mbah, to, as a matter of urgency, wade into the matter so as to nip the looming crisis in the Community in the bud.
When contacted, Commissioner Egungbe said he would want our Correspondent to see him in his office on Monday to enable him to respond to the issue raised by the natives.
“There is no problem; I will talk to you on Monday when you come to the office, so that we can see eyeball to eyeball”, he said.
