BY IKENNA ORIOHA
Secretary to Imo State Government, Engr Mark Uchendu, has affirmed that Sir Jude Ukanyirioha remains the Eze-elect of Ekwereocha autonomous community, Ihitte Uboma local government area, Imo State.
Mark Uchendu, on behalf of Imo State Government made the disclosure when he spoke to journalists at his Office in Owerri in reaction to the protest staged by some natives of Ekwereocha autonomous community against the announcement of Sir Jude Ukanyirioha as the Eze-elect of Ekwereoch Community by the Imo State Government.
The SGI, who explained that government took the decision to pronounce Eze Ukarioha as Eze-elect of Ekwereocha because the High Court had ruled that Ukarioha remains the authentic Eze-elect of Ekwereocha, cautioning the aggrieved party to respect the judgment of the High Court.
According to him, “High Court ruled that Kierian Ogoko was wrongly chosen as Eze. Kierian appealed against the matter which was struck out by the Appeal Court before he died. The only subsisting ruling is the one of the Lower Court which says Ogoko was not an Eze.
” The only decision government can take is to obey the High Court judgment. It is not a personal matter. The only candidate to the Ezeship government must recognize is Jude Ukanyirioha. Kierian is late and cannot continue to pursue his right because he is late. Both candidates are from the same first village. No one can draw me into sentiment…”
While advising the aggrieved party to place their grievance in the proper perspective in order not to complicate the matter which has already been settled by the Court, Uchendu maintained that the judgment of the High Court cannot be reversed because the dispute is no longer possible.
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