By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Ahead of the forthcoming local government election in Anambra State, a community leader and political economist, Comrade Martin Ebuka Okafor, has thrown his weight behind the position of Nzukọ Ọra Nnewi Town Union on the ongoing debate surrounding the rotational chairmanship arrangement in Nnewi North Local Government.
Okafor, a UK–based indigene of Nnewi, made his position known while reacting to the controversy, which has remained a subject of intense public debate for over one month and still counting.
He described the stance of Nzukọ Ọra Nnewi as lawful, equitable and consistent with the historical framework that has guided political leadership in the town since 1997.
According to him, the rotational agreement among the four quarters of Nnewi is not a mere political convenience but a binding social contract that has helped to preserve peace, mutual respect and inclusion within the community.
Comrade Okafor noted that allowing Umudim to complete its four-year tenure, as affirmed by the town union leadership, aligns with the principles of fairness and justice, warning that any attempt to truncate the tenure could set a dangerous precedent.
He argued that from a political economy perspective, instability often arises when agreed governance frameworks are altered midstream, particularly in heterogeneous communities with shared power arrangements.
The political economist further stated that rotation promotes predictability and reduces political tension, stressing that Nnewi’s experience over the years proves that adherence to the agreement has prevented domination and marginalisation of any quarter.
Reacting to arguments linking the matter to changes in the local government electoral law, Okafor noted that sustenance of the long-standing communal consensus and rotational arrangement in Nnewi does not in any way contradict the said electoral law since the law itself also upholds maximum terms of 4 years (two tenures). According to him, after Umudim (in the next two years), Nnewichi will also take their own and serve for four years before another quarter takes over.
He commended the leadership of Nzukọ Ọra Nnewi, including the President General and the Presidents General of the quarters, for what he described as a timely and courageous intervention aimed at protecting unity and social cohesion in Nnewi.
Okafor also joined voice with Nzukọ Ọra Nnewi to urge political parties, stakeholders and aspirants to respect the town union’s resolutions and avoid actions capable of inflaming tensions or polarising the community.
He stressed that development thrives best in an atmosphere of trust and stability, adding that Nnewi’s progress over the years has been driven partly by its ability to manage political transitions peacefully.
The community leader called on Ndi Nnewi at home and in the diaspora to rally around the rotational principle, describing it as a collective heritage that must be preserved for future generations.
He expressed optimism that adherence to the established order, with Umudim completing its tenure and Nnewichi assuming leadership next, would further strengthen unity and reinforce confidence in local governance in Nnewi.
