Elechi revokes chieftaincy titles of senator, ex-deputy speaker in Ebonyi

Governor Mar­tin Elechi of Ebonyi State has revoked the chieftaincy titles conferred on the Senator represent­ing Ebonyi Central Sena­torial zone, Chief Paulinus Igwe-Nwagu and former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Valentine Okike.

The duo were said to have been conferred with chief­taincy titles by the traditional ruler of Ishinkwo autono­mous community, Eze Jo­sephat Ikegwu, outside his jurisdiction.

The governor, who an­nounced the revocation af­ter a three-hour closed-door meeting with stakeholders in Onicha Local Govern­ment Area of the state in Government House at the weekend, said the revocation also affected other persons conferred with titles by other traditional rulers outside their areas of jurisdiction.

Elechi said the installa­tions would not be recog­nised on the ground that the monarch went beyond the bounds of his domain to of­ficiate in a different commu­nity outside his area.

The governor also de­clared that there was no traditional ruler for Ukawu autonomous community and warned that nobody should parade himself as the tradi­tional ruler of the commu­nity until a new one was be installed.

The throne became vacant following the death of the traditional ruler of Ukawu.

“The traditional ruler went beyond the bounds of his domain to officiate in a dif­ferent community. Reason for that, we don’t want to go into. Whether it was done by consensus or cabinet mem­bers of the late Eze or for some other reasons that is not important but the good thing should be done.

“We think that he should restrict himself to his own domain. So, we do not rec­ognise those acts of coro­nation of Senator Paulinus Igwe-Nwagu and former Deputy Speaker, Mr. Valen­tine Okike. We believe all concerned will accept these decisions in good faith as in­deed there is no victor, there is no vanquished,” he stated.

On the leadership of de­velopment union of the area, Elechi dissolved the care­taker committee set up by the council chairman of Onicha and promised to conduct election within one month for the substantive union leadership that would be su­pervised by his office.

According to him, no local government chairman or de­velopment centre coordina­tor had any right to dissolve or constitute development unions in the state.