~ New PG, Chinweuba promises harmony
By Ifeizu Joe
Mr Fredrick Nwanneka Chinweuba has emerged a new President General of the Awka Development Union, ADU, Nigeria, in keenly contested elections, for executives that would pilot the affairs of the Union for next three years.
Mr Chinweuba polled 46 votes to defeat other contenders for the President General position, Mr Ugochukwu Nwosu, and Engr Chris Anachuna, who secured 36 and 3 votes respectively.
The elections, held on Saturday December 27, also produced Mr Chris Obuekwe as a Deputy President General with 60 votes against his rival, Mr Edward Arinze Ekelem, who gathered 25 votes, and Mr Hilary Okafor as a Publicity Secretary with 44 votes against Ernest Chisom Nweke, who secured 41 votes.
Others included Barr Raphael Nzekwe, Secretary General; Arc Okey Jaja Okafor, Financial Secretary; Hon Azuka Obukweli, Treasurer; Emmanuel Emeka, Provos; Mr John Nweze Anagor, Social Secretary; and Barr Akona Ogbonna, Legal Advisers who were elected unopposed.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Barr Ifeanyichukwu Obiakor, while announcing the results of the elections, charged the new ADU executives, to unite Awka people, for enduring peace and development of the community.
‘It is your duty now to unify Awka, and bring peace in Awka.
‘Ensure that from now on, we don’t have any other crisis in Awka,’ Barr Obiakor charged the new executives.
He expressed confidence in their capacity to fulfill the mandate given to them within three years in office.
In his acceptance speech on behalf of the executives, the new President General, Mr Chinweuba, pledged to restore peace, progress and development to Awka community.
‘Relying in my ability and my exposure, I am going to uplift Awka to next level,’ the President General said.
‘We will set up a youth skill acquisition programme in which young people will be assembled together, be educated, and give them opportunities to make a transition into positive lives, and grow into permanent jobs of their lives,’ he said.
Obiakor further disclosed among others, his administration’s plan to build a benefitting civic centre for the Awka community.
‘We have the resources and the manpower to do it; our next elections will be held in the civic centre,’ he said.
The President General, who further promised he would run an open and all-inclusive administration, as well as carry everyone along, thanked the people of Awka community for believing in him, the electoral committee for conducting peaceful, transparent elections, and the past ADU executives for their various contributions to the development of the community.
In his remarks, the Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Tonycollins Nwabunwanne, emphasized that a town union executive is for the development of a community.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Public Relations Officer of the Local Government Ministry, Mr Henry Nwasike, charged the new ADU executives to follow strictly the constitution of the Union and do everything possible to bring all indigenes of Awka together in the interest of development of the community.
While urging to focus attention on whatever that would bring enduring peace and development in the community, he however advised them to avoid diving into igweship matters.
‘The executive is purely for the development of the community; a town union has nothing to do with igweship matters for now.
‘If you try to side one group or the other, the government will take you out.
‘Don’t be sentimental, ensure that you do all you can to move this community forward,’ Hon Nwabunwanne further advised the new executives.
He thanked the ADU Incorporated Trustees, and and the delegates, for organizing and participating in the elections, which he said, had brought enduring peace to Awka community.
In separate interviews, some of the delegates, including Mr Chukwudi Nwangwu, and Chief Patrick Onuorah, commended the ADU Incorporated Trustees and the electoral committee, for conducting peaceful and transparent elections.
According to them, the elections, which were conducted in an open secret ballot system, were the most peaceful and transparent executive elections the ADU has ever had.
They expressed joy that the ADU had gotten unified executives, and urged them to do all they could to fulfill their promises and keep the trust the Awka people reposed in them, for the development of Awka community.
Swearing in of the new executives alongside Mr Godwin Muotue, Mr Chris Anekwe, and Barr Nnamdi Obiorah as the Vice Presidents General, Abuja, East, and North Branches respectively, who were also elected unopposed, climaxed the unified elections, that took place at Choice Hotels, Awka.
