The two divisions emerged after the conduct of the Owerre-Ezukala Development Union, ODU, President General election which Chief Anayo Emejue won.

Reacting to the development, Prince Chris Madu, son to late Igwe D.N. Madu, accused the state government of fueling the leadership crises in the area.

He said, “as a result the state government has divided the community into two warring autonomous communities, Owerre-Ezukala 1, which is Imeowerre and 2, that is Eziowerre.

“Imeowerre is where the late Igwe D.N. Madu, my father came from and the one they say is the Present Igwe, Thomas Ogbonna, is from Eziowerre. So we have two PGs now, Luke Chukwu and Anayo Emejue and then two traditional rulers, my elder brother, Crowned Prince Juel Madu, from Imeobi and then Thomas Ogbonnaya from Eziowerre”

“Just recently they conducted PG election without informing us or the incumbent PG, Chief Luke Chukwu, who government did not issue with certificate of recognition. So how will  government say Chukwu’s tenure has expired. We went to Awka when Chukwu was elected as PG for the certificate and government showed us petitions from Igwe Thomas Ogbonna and transition committee chairman of Orumba South, Hon Raymond Onyegu, that there was no election”

“So if there was an election government should issue Chukwu with certificate of recognition and if they said there was no election, let government conduct a fresh election. we will go to court, we will not fight, I have told my people there is no need to fight them. We will sue anybody that gives certificate of recognition to Anayo Emejue, we have petitioned Governor Willie Obiano, among other government functionaries. Government has succeeded in creating war in our community.”

Contacted, Chukwu revealed that, “the Local Government Chairman, Hon.Onyegu, contested PG election with me and I defeated him, since then he has been fighting me and frustrating and collecting whatever allocation meant for my community, using his position as council chairman”.

“He masterminded the kangaroo election that ushered in Anayo and he knows the PG case is in both High court and Appeal court, their action to conduct PG election is contempt of court”

“As far as we are concern there is nothing like election held by them, We don’t know how this their election came up because we are to be notified atleast three weeks to the election day. we conduct our election at Egbeagu primary school, so this place, Ishishi, where they conducted, is where we perform traditional rites and that is where they conducted their kangaroo election. The election is not acceptable, it is not recognised by the people of Owerre-Ezukala.”

Former ODU Onitsha branch chairman/pattron , Chief Norbert Okoli,  Blamed the commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Onyegu and Special Advisers for the crises rocking the area adding that, “Governor Willie Obiano is not aware of the illegalities being committed by those people”

“I am not against the election of Emejue as the PG, but against the manner the election was conducted. What we are saying is that our own PG, Chukwu, was elected and Awka said that they did not accept him or the election. Meaning that they will not issue him with certificate of  recognition. Even Chukwu’s predecessor, Chief Martin Orji, has not handed over to Chukwu. So if by any means Orji hands over to Emejue, it should not be right as the election was not done in accordance with our constitution.

Also Crowned Prince Juel Madu, described the election as a kangaroo one and urged Governor Obiano to issue certificate of recognition to the Chukwu-led executive.

Emejue, the new PG, in a swift reaction said, “Chief Luke Chukwu was the PG, his tenure expired on 27th day of January 2020 and I can tell you that this community recognised him as a nominated PG and he has exercised that function as provided by the constitution from inception, throughout the end of his tenure he has been the PG, calling meetings, launches and exercising all the powers with the  total support of the entire community”

“we have written documents confirming him as the PG, constitution provides that one can be nominated or elected. The issue of issuing certificate of recognition is totally alien to this community. It is an aberation for him to want continuity. You have three years to stay and there after you leave office”

Also speaking, the elder brother to the new PG, Norbert Emejue said, “I did not see any agitation but one thing is certain, that government of peace has been enthroned and it will ensure if there is skirmishes, it will be taken care of”