By Chuks Eke
The senator representing Anambra South senatorial zone, Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, has reacted to the suspension of the traditional ruler of Neni, a community in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state, saying that the suspension order was politically motivated.
A suspension letter by Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Tony Collins Nwabunwanne had accused HRM Igwe Damian Ezeani for not seeking clearance from the state government before bestowing titles on deserving sons of Anambra.
The monarch had, during the Yuletide, conferred on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah the title of Odenjinji of Neni.
Reaching to the development, Ubah, in a statement made available to newsmen from his Head of Media and Strategic communications, Hon. Kamen Chuks declared: “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 honoured within the same period; Vice President Kashim Shettima was also honoured; Mr President was honoured in absentia. Why is my own different?”
“The governor is frustrated by my rising political profile, acceptance and popularity; he is jittery about the next governorship election, but I leave him to his conscience.”
Ubah had in October 2023, defected from the Young Progressives Party, YPP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. He was later received into the party in December, alongside another popular grassroots politician, Senator Uche Ekwunife. This action set off an alarm about a possible alliance between the two to unseat Soludo in the 2025 governorship election.
This may have sparked off some emotions among members of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the state government.
Anambra is one of the states that holds off-season elections. Its governorship election would be due in 2025.
