Onitsha, Idemili LGAs Clash Over Alleged Illegal Renaming of Limca Road After Emeka Anyaoku

By Tony Okafor, Awka

An inter-council dispute has erupted in Anambra State following the alleged unilateral renaming of Limca Road (Old Enugu–Onitsha Road) by the Idemili Local Government Area, an action strongly condemned by the Onitsha North Local Government Council as illegal and unconstitutional.

In an official public notice dated March 20, 2026, the Mayor of Onitsha North LGA, Hon. Nweze Tony Nwora, accused his Idemili counterpart of overstepping jurisdictional boundaries by purportedly renaming the road as Emeka Anyaoku Road.

The council described the move as “wholly illegal, unconstitutional, null and void,” insisting that it amounts to a clear usurpation of authority.

The disputed road, which stretches from the country home of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, through Borromeo Hospital, to Nkpor Junction, is said to lie entirely within the territorial jurisdiction of Onitsha North LGA.

Citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), particularly the Fourth Schedule, the council maintained that the control, administration, and regulation of roads within a local government area rest exclusively with that council.

“No authority can validly exercise powers outside its territorial jurisdiction,” Nwora said in the statement, adding ,“Any such action is ultra vires and of no legal consequence whatsoever.”

He further stressed that at no time had the road fallen under the administrative control of Idemili North LGA, warning that any attempt to impose a new name on it would be resisted through legal means.

According to the statement, “The so-called renaming is void ab initio. Limca Road remains its lawful name until due process is followed by the competent authority.”

The council called on the general public, government agencies, security outfits, map publishers, and logistics operators to disregard the purported new name, emphasising that it has no legal backing.

“This notice serves as a formal caveat against any recognition or documentation of the unauthorised name,” the mayor said, stating, “We will not hesitate to take all necessary legal steps to protect our territorial integrity.”

Efforts to reach officials of Idemili North LGA for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.

However, a senior official in the council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, defended the action, claiming it was done “in good faith to honour a distinguished Nigerian statesman.”

Authorities of Idemili North Local Government Area had, a few days earlier, renamed the famous Limca Road after former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

With the renaming, the strategic Limca Road—linking Awka Old Road, Nkpor Junction, the Onitsha–Awka–Enugu Expressway, and Obosi–Umuoji Road, among others—will now be known as “Ichie Emeka Anyaoku Road.”

Addressing residents during a brief ceremony held at the Nkpor Junction end of the road, the Chairman of Idemili North LGA, Stanley Nkwoka, said the exercise was meant to honour Anyaoku’s selfless contributions to society and inspire younger generations.

Nkwoka said the council embarked on the initiative to recognise the former Commonwealth chief and encourage youths to emulate his values, work ethic, and commitment to excellence.

The development is already generating tension among residents and stakeholders in the affected areas, with observers warning that the dispute could escalate if not urgently addressed by the Anambra State Government.