Okpoko community of the riverine Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State has elected a new town union leadership, thereby ending the leadership crisis that had rocked the area for several months now.
The 16-member Okpoko Community Development Union (OCDU) was elected yesterday at Onitsha Holiday Resort with Mr Okechukwu Odidika as its new president.
Other members of the committee included Okwudili Obioha, 1st Vice President; Sunday Ezike, 2nd Vice President; Omanus Elemuo, Secretary; Austin Ukeje, Assistant Secretary; Vincent Offor, Treasurer; Ejike Uzomba, Welfare;; Emeka Omire, Financial Secretary; Uche Uzoigwe, Chief Provost;. Linus Nwowu, Provost; Patrick Utobo, 2nd Provost; Okwudiri Ibeneme, 3rd Provost; Francis Nwanze, 4th Provost; Martin Eze, PRO; Solomon Onyenoneke, Auditor and Barr. M. C. Ezejim, Legal Adviser.
In his post-election speech, the new president of OCDU, Odidika, vowed to restore total peace in the crisis-torn urban area created by the outgoing Enemuo-led CEC.
Odidika said that the primary focus of his executive was to carry everybody along and ensure total reconciliation among the entire citizenry in the area, pledging further that his administration would now join hands with the state government to build massive infrastructural facilities in the area.
A major stakeholder in the area, Hon. Zeribe Ezeanuna said the pledge by the Odidika-led 16-man executive to pursue the path of peace and reconciliation would make Okpoko community which is one of the 179 communities in the state to heave a sigh of relief.
Some other stakeholders: Chief Godwin Ehiobu, Emeka Omeire, and Chief Okechukwu Okweji, in their separate speeches, said they were excited that the election went on successfully and urged the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Solido, to monitor the activities of his appointees to avoid soiling his name and administration.
A team of policemen that had stormed the venue of the election to stop the exercise was forced to retreat after the team was shown a copy of a subsisting court order made by Justice Chukwudi Okaa of Atani High Court in Anambra State authorising the relevant stakeholders of the community to conduct an election.
The police team from Okpoko Divisional Headquarters had stormed the election venue early in the morning to stop the election based on an information from the opposing camp but on arrival, they were shown the subsisting court order made by Justice Okaa on November 14 this year and they left and allowed the exercise to hold peacefully as directed by the court.
