Ayamelum Youth Moves Against Speaker, Uche Okafor, Warns Him To Respect The Zoning Agreement

Heavy political crisis is going on now in Ayamelum LGA over the refusal of the Speaker, Uche Okafor to adhere to the zoning agreement in the constituency. In 2014, the APGA stakeholders met at Chief Odenigbo’s house, at Awka. The meeting was well attended by leaders of APGA in the LGA.

At the meeting a number of issues were discussed and agreed. One of the issues discussed was the zoning of political positions in LGA. It was agreed at the meeting that political positions would rotate from Ayamelum north, Ayamelum central and Ayamelum south. It was

Hon Barr Ifeanya who moved a motion that the State House of Assembly be zoned to Ayamelum North in 2015 and was seconded by Mr Bonny Emengini.

It was also agreed that after Ayamelum north, it would go to Ayamelum central. It was unanimously agreed. Based on this agreement, those who picked the APGA nomination forms in 2014 were, Hon Uche Okafor, Hon Emma Nwikpo, Hon John Onyimonyi and Hon Udoji Okoye. These 5 persons are from Ayamelum north. No one from south or central picked form. They represented the agreement and supported the north.

In 2019, Rt Hon Uche Okafor appealed to these stakeholders to allow him and support the Ayamelum north to have another 4 years and complete their tenure. AIF Media gathered that Gov Obiano personally intervened and appealed that Hon Okafor be supported to return to the state assembly.

A meeting was convened where the stakeholders of Ayamelum agreed to support him for another 4 years after which it will be the turn of Ayamelum central.

But Rt Hon Uche Okafor is disobeying this agreement. He is seeking a 3rd term return to the state assembly. This insistence is causing crisis and creating political tension in Ayamelum LGA. There has been accusation that he bribed the APGA screening committee to disqualify the only APGA aspirant that wanted to challenge him at the primaries.

However, the youths of Ayamelum have risen to ensure that the zoning agreement reached by the stakeholders in 2014 is respected. They have asked the Speaker not to seek a 3rd term ticket. The Youth Leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Ayamelum LGA, Comr Clement Obinna Nweke, was at a radio program recently appealing to Hon Okafor to respect the 2014 zoning agreement in Ayamelum.

AIF Media gathered that the Speaker has moved against the young man for daring to mobilize the youths and use a radio platform to canvass for zoning.

The Speaker was quoted as boosting that he would ask the leadership of Ohaneze in Anambra state to sack the Youth Leader. He is currently mounting pressure on the Leader of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo Anambra State to suspend or sack Comr Clement Obinna Nweke for joining Ayamelum Youths in a radio program on Purity F.M to demand for zoning.

Sadly, the Speaker who is seeking a 3rd term has nothing to show for the 8 years in the state assembly, not even a constituency project. He did not facilitate any job opportunities for the youths of Ayamelum. Under his watch, state’s treasury was looted. Ayamelum is currently the poorest local government in Anambra state in terms of Road infrastructure and other amenities like hospital, electricity etc.

As a Speaker, Ayamelum have had many communal crises that led to the loss of lives and destruction of properties. He could not use his office to genuinely intervene or compel the state govt to do the needful. His Speakership never brought any dividend to Ayamelum.

Rt Hon Uche Okafor respect the same zoning that produced him in 2015 and 2019. He should honourable and abide by the wishes of his people. His attempts to fight the youths of Ayamelum who are insisting on zoning agreement of 2014 won’t return him to the state assembly.

He has succeeded in getting Oye to disqualify his opponent in APGA. At the main election, the people of Ayamelum will speak with their votes.

Source: AIF Media