The Anambra State Government has declared that Oba community in Idemili Local Government Area of the state does not have a traditional ruler at the moment.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Tony Nwabunwanne, made the declaration at a press conference in Awka, the state capital, on Monday, December 23, 2024.

The people of Oba had allegedly conducted an election for a successor to Igwe Peter Ezenwa who died in 2018.

Nwabunwanne said there was no election allegedly conducted by the community that was known to the government which had full supervisory power over community and union matters.

He said there was a subsisting matter pending in court stopping the conduct of election into the traditional ruler’s seat of Oba community, adding that any exercise in contempt of court would not be recognised by the government.

The commissioner stated that the state government did not supervise the process as the law demanded because it was conducted in contempt of the court.

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Nwabunwanne said: “As of today, there is no traditional ruler or Igwebuike Cabinet in Oba community.

“There is a subsisting matter in court which barred conduct of traditional ruler election before us and until that matter is dispensed with, there can be no election.

”The Anambra State Government is hereby issuing a bench warrant on anybody parading himself as the traditional ruler of Oba community; such a person should be arrested by the security agencies.”

Nwabunwanne said the Anambra State Government would do all that is necessary to ensure peace, security, and social order in the state.

The commissioner stressed that communities must respect the laws of the state and constitutions they made for themselves.

The Star