The Chairman Board of Trustees Nzuko-Ora Nnewi and Chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Mbadiwe Okongwu has posited that the people of Nnewi North are solidly behind the Governor in his bid to clinch a second tenure in office.
Speaking in a press parley with few selected Journalist at his palatial home in Mbanagu-Otolo last week, Chief Okongwu who is a US trained Pharmacist, said that the people of Nnewi have nothing against the Governor. Responding to the question of the position of Nnewi concerning the Nkwo-Triangle, he answered: “Nnewi’s position about the purported handing over of the Nkwo-triangle is very clear. I am in custody of the letter written by the Government spelling out three conditions. Those conditions are good, but not tenable as it is. If you have a gazette revoking Nnewi’s Right to a particular land and you said you are giving it back to Nnewi, the first place to start is to ungazette the gazette that took over the property, that is where we stand Nnewi is very happy with the Governor and we are not out to fight Akpokuodike Gburugburu. We are very happy with our Governor, but from our experience, it is clear that the Governor Is not aware of what is going on at the triangle. Upon all the numerous SSAs around Nnewi, we are getting information that the Governor does not know that we are still in litigation. Yes the suit will continue, but the first thing is that the gazette taking our Right over the triangle has to be ungazetted. Once it is ungazzeted, we will send a dance troupe, a congratulatory team and go and meet our Governor to thank him for what a wonderful job he is doing and how he has Nnewi it heart”
Continuing, Chief Okongwu mention three condition given by the Governor before the land is handed over: that all the money the Government has so far spent on the building will be refunded. Explaining further, he said: “We don’t know. No member of the 8 people sueing for Nnewi has seen the diagram or plan. We don’t know how much they have spent, how we can then pay to governor all they have spent. No.2 condition is that we will continue with the design or plan as it is. Nobody has seen the plan. I cannot acquiesce to what I have not seen. We cannot build on nothingness. When we are shown the plan, and the breakdown of the cost, when the gazette has been ungazetted, then we can get Nnewi sons and daughters to finish the job. For now, we don’t know what we are finishing. Show us what we are finishing”
On the foundation laying ceremony of Nnewi town hall which was disrupted by Uruagu youths, he asked: When we say Uruagu youths, who is behind them? Who is mobilizing them? If there is a family dispute, the best thing is to sit down and dialogue. There was a dialogue but it broke down on the part of Nzuko-Ora and Uruagu. We have Igwe and the three Obi’s, there has to be a meeting to discuss these issues. I am so surprise that igwe is being dragged left right without adequate arrangement and without due consultation. If Uruagu is disgruntled, all that needs to be done to invite them for a meeting. Even if they don’t attend the first one, ask them what is to the condition for them to attend. There are always fights in families but it does not breakdown the families if handled with maturity, patience, perseverance and tact”.
Digressing, he was asked to comment on the Ozubulu massacre, he described it as: “Tragic. Innocent people, who woke up in the morning, got dressed to go and worship their God. And a mad man, a devilish man came into the church and began to shoot defenseless innocent people. Whatever quarrel we have, we people of Nnewi Division (which Ozubulu is part of) are not known to shed blood of fellow human beings, whether friend or enemy. This killing is senseless. I join the Governor to mourn the wasted lives of the innocent. And I call on the security agencies to intensify their efforts and bring the culprits to book”.
On Obiano, Chief Okongwu made it clear that there is no vacancy in Government House Awka for the next 4 years. In his words: There are 198 communities in Anambra State and the man is equitably distributing dividends of democracy to all of them”. On Martins Agbaso, he described him as a flash in the pan, saying Dr. Victor Oye remains The National Chairman of APGA.