It came as a shock and surprise when able Executive members of Ajakpani Progressive Union,Umunya in Anambra state came across a fabricated and unwarranted write up by some group of people led by Amaechi Onyekwuluje,Damian Egwuonwu others includes Anthony Nwakile, Gregory Nwoye, Anthony Okongwu,Cletus Nwoye and Ikechukwu Obiekwe who claimed to be members of an unrecognized Ajakpani Concerned Citizens and Ajakpani Elders Forum against targeted committed Executive members of Ajakpani Progressive Union in a bid to destroy the already existing peace, unity and developments enjoyed by the Union.
In a press release made available to our news medium, Chief Mike Ilorah expressed his Concerned over some self acclaimed and purported members of a certain Union intending and bent on imposing an illegally constituted group of people to lord over Ajakpani Progressive Union that was formed and has been in existence way back through the hard work and immeasurable sacrifices put in by some committed members by organizing and inaugurating a care taker committee with the sole intentions of conducting an election come December 2023 that will usher in their alibi to indirectly take over total control of the affairs of the great Union.
It’s also of note that on 30th June,2015 at Otuocha High Court in suit no. OT/46/2014 also restrained Gregory Nwoye and his cohorts from interfering with the functions and duties of Mike Ilorah led Executive members of Ajakpani Progressive Union,the order is also extant till date.
To further assassinate the Character of some respected personalities of the union, Amaechi Onyekwuluje through a message disseminated on his controlled platform claimed that their planned Executives intend to look into the indiscriminate sale of Ajakpani communal lands, investigation of concocted allegations concerning the deposit of huge amount of money into Chief Mike ilorah and Chinelo ilorah’s account instead of Ajakpani Progressive Union while imposing their self selected formed caretaker committee as the Managers of Ajakpani Village Community affairs replacing the existing and genuinely constituted Executives which has been running the affairs freely and peacefully.
Chief Ilorah and other executive members were also wrongly and falsely accused of refusing to relinquish power and also using Cult group to attack members of the union.
The Chairman, Ajakpani Progressive Union,Chief Mike Ilorah and the Executive members termed those nefarious allegations as absurd and total opposite of the true reflections of happenings in the union within the past few years.
According to Chief Ilorah, “aggrieved members of the community were freely expressing their anger over the orchestrated plans to take over the affairs of Ajakpani Progressive Union illegally.We are peace loving people but will not accept unruly characters to destroy the peaceful co-existence within our Community.
Committed executive members of the union and myself were attacked severally,called negative names and even threatened to be locked up behind bars if we refused to drop our position and allow them impose their choice candidates with the interference of some security officers.
The President General of Umunya has never denied the existence of this Executive and the Community Youths are solidly behind the present Executives coupled with developmental and empowerment programmes embarked upon severally just to improve the living standard of our community.”
Narrating what has transpired so far within the Union”the Chairman,Mr Mike Ilorah said “During the tenure of Chief Christian Obi Ezeani,the Ajakpani Progressive Union Constitution was written and it states that the Chairmanship position of the union will be rotational between diverse Families beginning with the eldest of them all through to the last born and for a tenure of three years each,all the families involved supported and consented to the decision by the constitution committee.
So,after the tenure of Chief Christian Obi Ezeani the next in line should be Umuezenta Family and Mr Samuel Agogbua was appointed as Chairman according to the constitution.Few days to the inauguration Mr Samuel Agogbua declined to accept the Chairmanship position and since there was nothing the Executive members could do Mr Amaechi Onyekwuluje from Umobuogu was then appointed the Chairman which runs contrary to the constitution of Ajakpani Progressive Union because he was suppose to occupy the vice Chairman’s position legally.
This issue raised lots of dust because it runs contrary to the constitution,so to put an end to it,a general meeting was conducted in the village and the Chairman, Amaechi Onyekwuluje advised that since the constitution has not been totally circulated within the community,there is still room for amendments,and we all agreed.
It was then concluded and amended that the Chairman will now and only be elected and appointed through personal interest,good Character,Merits,good deeds and not by families and seniority.
The Constitution was also Amended for the Chairman or other Executive member’s position to and can now run for two tenures of three years for a tenure should the elected individuals showed interest and are capable of running the affairs of Ajakpani Progressive Union smoothly.
Though,Mr Amaechi Onyekwuluje was not privileged to run for the second tenure due to misappropriation of the Union’s Funds and anti-Union activities.We pleaded with Mr Amaechi Onyekwuluje for refunds of some of the diverted and misappropriated funds but he refused and stop attending Ajakpani Progressive Union’s meetings only to align with other individuals to work towards making the Union ungovernable under me,Chief Mike Ilorah as the new legally appointed Chairman and other Executive members.
Mr Amaechi Onyekwuluje still illegally parades himself as Chairman despite court order restraining him from such.
Recently, Amaechi Onyekwuluje, Damian Egwuonwu along with others brought out an illegally concocted list of Caretaker Committee with claims that they are in charge of Ajakpani Progressive Union’s affairs.”
The Secretary, Ajakpani Progressive Union,Mr Peter Odili while Beaming more lights on what has transpired so far. “It would be recalled that this whole issue started some years back when one,Damian Egwuonwu and his brother Ikechukwu Egwuonwu brought a case to Ajakpani Progressive Union Executive Council through a correspondence alleging one, Ekenechukwu Obianyanwu of encroaching on their family landed property.
The Executives in turn summoned Ekenechukwu Obianyanwu who also claimed of being the genuine owner of the said property,they both brought in documents to defend their claims and Ajakpani Progressive Union Executives fixed a date for both parties to meet on the said land but to our utmost surprise Damian Damian Egwuonwu took the case to Magistrate court Nteje, served Ekenechukwu Obianyanwu and sent a notice to Ajakpani Progressive Union’s Executive members.
We decided to visit Damian Egwuonwu’s lawyer (Barr. P.I. Obichukwu) and explained all that happened to him,he advised us to go and settle the issue out of court because it’s a family case, suggesting we measure the said land and share it if possibly it can be enough for both of them.
After fixing a date again to meet at the land in question,Mr Damian Egwuonwu came with nseven receipts instead of the earlier two receipts he brought the first day.We asked him to do copies of the receipts and make them available to Ajakpani Progressive Union but Damian Egwuonwu left and neither brought the receipts or even contacted us.
Some weeks later we received an invitation n from one of our stake holder,a senior officer and respected legal practitioner (Hon. Barr. Boniface Orakwe) that one Damian Egwuonwu brought an issue concerning us to him,which we honoured in company of Ekenechukwu.
Hon. Barr. Boniface Orakwe after listening to all our explanation advised that we measure the land in question to ascertain its size,we later measured the land and got 8 plots measuring 150ft by 100ft per plot and prepared to bring out the matter in court on 4th April,2023 for settlement.
Surprisingly,on 3rd April,2023 Damian Egwuonwu put a call across to Chief Mike Ilorah, Chairman Ajakpani Progressive Union concerning the court case but the Chairman suggested that after the court case settlement both parties will have to visit Hon. Barr. Boniface Orakwe but Damian Egwuonwu became furious and said there’s no need going to Court or seeing Hon. Barr. Boniface Orakwe because his Seven receipts covered the entire land in question.
Damian Egwuonwu again dragged the Executive members of Ajakpani Progressive Union to some of our respected stakeholders which includes Dr Benjamin Obidigbo,Chief Obi Ezeani,Chief Ekwenze and others.
Chief Ekwenze informed all of us that Celestine Nworah in question has already been given land at Aguakpu and does not have any landed property at this place and they advised Damian Egwuonwu to desist from the group of people he’s attaching himself with and even Jude was not of age as at then to own land despite the receipts he brought to prove of land ownership.
The Stakeholders subsequently pleaded with Ajakpani Progressive Union members to consider Damian Egwuonwu on the said land issue but he turned a deaf ear towards all they’ve said but insisted he has his own plans.
We later came across a write up on a platform “Umunya Progressive Forum” created by Damian Egwuonwu
claiming our tenure has exhausted since 2021 and that we are just parading ourselves illegally,though we overlooked his actions but to our utmost surprise he summoned us to the President General, Umunya that our tenure has exhausted.
The President General, Umunya called on us and after listening to our side of the story with evidence of documents (Constitution and Minute Book) showing provisions for our Executives to run another tenure,the President General advised us to go and promised to get across to us after looking into the matter critically to get the truth.
After about two weeks, President General of Umunya called Ajakpani Progressive Union Executives and advised us to withdraw all cases concerning the said matter from all the Courts that we are all one big family, but we informed him that the issue was beyond our capacity and that we need to consult the Union’s legal adviser to ascertain the consequences of such withdrawal actions.
On 19th of June,2023 someone informed Ajakpani Progressive Union Executives of some group of people at the Union Hall fermenting troubles and that they’ve broken down the entrance door,we decided to send the Youths down to ascertain who they were,we were later informed that they meet Damian Egwuonwu,Amaechi Onyekwuluje, Anthony Nwakile, Gregory Nwoye, Anthony Okongwu,Cletus Nwoye and Ikechukwu Obiekwe claiming of having a meeting and instituted a Caretaker committee for Ajakpani Progressive Union and that the tenure of those Executives in office has exhausted.
The Youths did not allow them access into the Community hall and they resorted to inviting the police.When the Police came and asked for explanation from the Youths and thereafter called the President General who also denied of being privy or directed such order and actions,the Policemen left the place but cautioned both parties from fermenting troubles that could lead to civil unrest in the community, though Damian Egwuonwu and Amaechi boast of having the DPO of Nteje Police Station behind them.
Barr. Onyebushi Egwuonwu a brother to Damian Egwuonwu has been the Attorney and legal Adviser to Ajakpani Progressive Union but recently when we had issues with Chief Amaechi Onyekwuluje and his brother,he decided to team up with the duo against the Executives of Ajakpani Progressive Union and also refused to attend our court cases or even make refunds despite being paid for his professional service “He concluded