Barely 48 hours to the Chairmanship election of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, indications emerged yesterday that traditional rulers in Orlu and Okigwe zones have closed ranks and are rooting for Eze Sam Oliver Ohanweh.
Ohanweh is from Okigwe zone. 81 delegates will decide the fate of the contenders. Owerri zone have 27 delegates,18 from Okigwe zone and Orlu zone 36. Both Okigwe and Orlu zones have a total of 45 delegates, higher than the number of delegates from Owerri zone where two aspirants, the incumbent, Eze Sam Ohiri and Eze Chidume Okoro come from.
Ohanweh is from Okigwe zone, a zone yet to produce a chairman for the council. This is coming against mounting odds against the incumbent Chairman, Eze Sam Ohiri who is seeking for a fresh mandate after serving for five years.
In a related development, a frontline aspirant, HRH Eze Oliver Ohanweh, has rolled out 14 points agenda that if elected he will vigorously pursued to restore the dignity, respect and his transformational mission for the ancient traditional institution.
Eze Ohanwe who is the traditional ruler of Ihim ancient kingdom stated this in his 4 paged manifesto titled “My 14 Point Agenda As Eze-Imo” which he is already distributing to the 81 wise men delegates elected from the 27 council areas that would elect the Eze-Imo and his Deputy this Thursday (18/01/2018) at the Traditional Rulers Parliament along Mbari Street.
According to the foremost traditional who is seriously soliciting the mandate of his colleagues to be successor of HRM Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, the 14 point agenda includes: To ensure that Eze’s monthly stipend is increased to N150, 000 without deductions. Other Points on his agenda include:
*To facilitate co-operative loans from Micro Finance Banks, International Donor Agencies and other financial institutions for the overall interest of the State traditional rulers.
*To set up a credible Advisory Committee to look into complains by Traditional Rulers and with the aim for quickest amicable resolution.
*To stop forth with, the flagrant ridiculing of Ndi-Ezes through suspension and dictatorship saying that having been a victim that he knows the pains, trauma and inherent insults always associated with such disgrace”.
He also said that he is on the race to ensure equity, fairness and justice within the traditional institution and that he is committed to the restoration of dignity and respect for all traditional rulers just as he vowed to run an open door, transparent and all in conclusive administration, when voted to power.
The aspirant further said that one of his fundamental pursuit is to ensure that meetings to Ndi-Eze with the State government and its agencies will be exclusive for Ndi-Eze alone.
The Royal Father assured that if given the mandate, that the deceased family of any traditional ruler that died will receive a minimum of N5m from the council as assistance. He also stated his preparedness to ensure that traditional rulers enjoy free medical insurance schemes.
Eze Ohanwe pointed out that other programmes of his mission and vision for the revered traditional institution include carrying all the traditional rulers along his bridge building and networking strategies.
That he will be a vanguard in the promotion ad sustenance of the state and the ethnic group rich cultural and traditional heritages.
That under his watch, that he will ensure that he build a mutual synergy and sustainable partnership between the traditional institution and other stakeholders.
The aspirant also assured within his 14 Points Agenda of his commitment to ensure the welfare of the council workers as well as security of the job of the traditional rulers.
He noted that if given the mandate he will offer 100% loyalty to all the tiers of government and assist the government in achieving good and purposeful governance.
Eze Ohanwe said that he decided to print and document his agenda so that Ndi-Eze could hold him responsible if he fails to achieve the 14 points agenda he set for himself and for the benefits of the traditional institution.
He expressed dismay that the other aspirants deliberately refused to document whatever programme they have for the council probably as a decoy of not knowing what to do or because they are not spiritually and physically prepared for the job.
The traditional icon insisted that the other aspirants have no visible programme(s) to present and execute because they have exhausted their vision for about 7 years they have been on the throne as appointed Eze-Imo and Deputy Eze-Imo respectively.
He passionately appealed to the delegates to vote wisely so as to avoid regrets noting that he is patriotic and compassionate on things concerning the ancient traditional institution.
Eze Ohanwe said he has received several reports of the threat and intimidation of the delegates by one of the aspirants who is jittery of failure, he advised the delegates to be courageous and jettison such threats as uncalled for.
According to the aspirant “Threat, intimidation and division has been their stock in trade within the period they have been on saddle. I consider this as an insult to the traditional institution and we must collectively stop these aberrations as no traditional ruler is greater than each other” he insisted.
