Soludo Reinstates Dethroned Monarch, Pardons 2 Others

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has reinstated the dethroned traditional ruler of Neni community in Njikoka local government area of the state, Igwe Damian Ezeani.

Governor Soludo has also granted pardon to the traditional ruler of Aguluezechukwu community in the Aguata local government area, Igwe Felix Ebelendu, and his Ojoto community counterpart in Idemili-South local government area, Igwe Gerald Mbamalu.

The three monarchs were suspended for flouting the state traditional rulers council law and directive of the state government when they conferred chieftaincy title on the member representing Anambra South senatorial district of the state in the National Assembly, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah during their Ofala festival earlier this year.

According to the governor’s press secretary Mr Christian Aburime, Soludo forgave the erring monarchs when he met with members of the state traditional rulers’ council as part of his ongoing consultative meetings with various stakeholders aimed at creating partnerships to help his administration achieve development targets.

The governor dissolved the state traditional rulers council on the ground that the council illegally constituted because most of the members had overstayed their tenure as stipulated in the law of the state House of Assembly establishing it.

He said Soludo in agreement with the 94 traditional rulers present at the meeting agreed to set up a committee which would include five monarchs and some officers of the state government to amend the state traditional rulers council law to guarantee efficiency of the council.

“In the course of the discussion that followed, it was observed that the body operating as the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council as constituted was unknown to the law as the State Government has observed that the body was improperly constituted in violation of the provision of section 2 (F) of the Anambra State Traditional  Rulers (Amendment) Law, 2020.

“In specific terms, that section provides that the Council shall be composed of the following persons to be appointed by the Governor: a Chairman; two Deputy Chairmen; and one member from each Local Government Area provided that members appointed from a senatorial zone shall not exceed eleven.

“There are three senatorial zones and 21 local governments in Anambra State. The above provision of the law therefore mandates that the Traditional Rulers Council shall be constituted with not more than 36 members,” he said.