Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing Anambra South senatorial zone, has spoken out against the suspension of the traditional ruler of Neni, a community in Anaocha Local Government Area. The suspension, which was enforced by Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, accused HRM Igwe Damian Ezeani of not obtaining clearance from the state government before conferring titles on individuals, including those with ‘questionable character.’
One of the controversial titles bestowed by the monarch was the Odenjinji of Neni, which is similar to a title held by former Central Bank Governor, Charles Soludo, in his Isuofia community.
During an interview with Media Talk Africa, Senator Ubah suggested political motivations behind the suspension, saying, “The entire game is all about politics. Soludo is frustrated by my rising popularity. I’m not the only person to receive a chieftaincy title. Former Chief of Army Staff Buratai was honored within the same period; Vice President Kashim Shettima was also honored; Mr President was honored in absentia. Why is my own different?”
He further added, “The governor is frustrated by my acceptance and popularity; he is jittery about the next governorship election, but I leave him to his conscience.”
Ubah’s political move from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in October 2023, followed by his reception into the party in December, alongside Senator Uche Ekwunife, has raised speculations about a potential alliance between the two to challenge Soludo in the upcoming 2025 governorship election, stirring emotions among members of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the state government.
Anambra, a state that conducts off-season elections, is set to hold its governorship election in 2025. As tensions rise amid political realignments and power plays, the implications of this chieftaincy dispute may very well reverberate in the state’s forthcoming political landscape.
