By Our Correspondent
The Anambra State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD, has emerged as the new President-General of Amanuke Development Union, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According results from the poll, Comrade Odogwu clinched victory at the polls after scoring a total of 576 votes to defeat his closest rival, Hon. Simon Orakwe, who garnered 532 votes in the keenly contested election.
The election nearly degenerated into crisis as electoral officers from the Anambra State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, alongside officials from the office of the Awka North Local Government Chairman, could not immediately announce the results following rising tension at the venue.
The exercise, which held on Saturday, January 31, at the Union Primary School Field, Amanuke, attracted a large turnout of indigenes and was monitored by officials of the State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, the Anambra State Town Unions Council (ASTUC), as well as security operatives drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others.
Conducted using the Option A4 voting model, the election not only drew massive participation from Amanuke indigenes who came from far and near to exercise their civic responsibility, but also offered the community a long-awaited opportunity to democratically elect new leaders to pilot its affairs in the coming years, following the expiration of the tenure of the former substantive President-General, Mr. Samuel Okoye, whose term officially ended in August 2025.
While some executive positions were zoned and filled unopposed ahead of the election, the contest for the office of President-General was fiercely contested between Comrade Odogwu Emeka and Hon. Simon Orakwe. Both candidates hailed from Umudiogo village, which, according to the community’s zoning arrangement, is next in line to produce the President-General.
Although the election was reported to have progressed peacefully during accreditation and voting, the situation reportedly became tense after the counting of votes and shortly before the official announcement of the results. The tension escalated to the point that security operatives had to fire gunshots and teargas to disperse the crowd and prevent the situation from snowballing into violence.
However, results that later emerged confirmed Comrade Odogwu Emeka as the winner, having polled 576 votes from three lines of supporters, while Hon. Simon Orakwe, who had two lines, secured 532 votes.
Consequently, supporters of the NUJ Chairman lifted him shoulder-high and marched round parts of the community amid chants of solidarity and victory songs to celebrate his emergence as the Amanuke new President-General.
Addressing his supporters shortly after the election, Dr. Odogwu expressed deep appreciation to the people of Amanuke for the confidence reposed in him, describing his victory as a collective mandate to reposition the community for unity, peace, and development.
He pledged to run an inclusive and people-oriented administration that would prioritize transparency, accountability, and grassroots development, while harnessing the collective strengths of Amanuke indigenes at home and in the diaspora.
According to him, the election was not about personal victory but about the future of Amanuke, assuring that every segment of the community would be carried along in his leadership.
Dr. Odogwu also extended an olive branch to his opponent, Hon. Simon Orakwe, and his supporters, calling on them to join hands with the new leadership in the interest of peace and progress of the town.
“I thank the good people of Amanuke for the solidarity and the victory. This is a collective win for our community. There is no victor and no vanquished. I call on my brother and opponent to work with us so that together we can move Amanuke forward,” he said.
