A business man businessman, Chief Walter Okeke, has dragged Igwe Godwin
Ezeilo, the traditional ruler of Nanka community to the Public
Complaints Commission (PCC) in Anambra state over land matters.
Okeke said that the market space allotted to him by Orumba North Council
Authority was being contested with him by the traditional ruler.
Okeke, who presented the matter to the PCC during a Case Conference on
Monday, said the land in question in the Bank Area of Afor Nanka market
was allotted to him in 2015 during the chairmanship of Chief Okey
Enekwe.
The businessman, who is also from Nanka, said the allotment was done
alongside those given to other notable indigenes of the town but
wondered why the exact place assigned to him was being contested by
Ezeilo.
The petitioner, who said he was the chairman of a Microfinance Bank,
said he got a call to come for the allocation paper after which he made
payments and did a survey of the area given to him to construct his bank
building.
He accused Chief Bernard Onyekwelu, the President-General of Nanka who
was the deputy council chairman at the time of allocation of leading
some persons to remove the beacons in the cover of the night on the
grounds that the allocation had expired.
He said the recent revalidation exercise on the market land by the
council was a ploy to take away a land he legitimately owned.
Okeke urged the PCC to mediate on the matter and tell the monarch, the
council and Onyekwere to leave his space for him.
In his reply, Onyekwere said he neither visited any land nor removed
beacons nor told anybody that his land allocation had expired.
Onyekwere said he only visited two parcels of land that were allocated
to Ezeilo for bank and eatery projects on his instruction to inspect it,
adding that when he got to the place there was no beacons or any survey
signs there.
The president-general said he did not go to the site by 8 p.m. as
alleged by Okeke but did so about 10 a.m. and spent about 30 minutes.
He said council officials were in the best position to talk on the issue
of allocation and revalidation, while calling for amicable resolution to
ensure peace reigned in Nanka community.
Testifying, Enekwe admitted that the allocation given to Okeke was
genuine and was for construction of building for stall.
Enekwe, however, said the allocation was subject to expiration, subject
to compliance with the conditions which included that it must be
developed within a period of time.
On his position, Ezeilo said the land he was talking about was allotted
to him and his family on July 1, 2014 by the council authorities for the
purpose of building a commercial bank block and an eatery.
Ezeilo told the commission that Okeke did not have any piece of land in
Afor Nanka market but only an allocation done by Orumba North council
and that it was not right that he surveyed it.
The land in question was advertised in 2013 and allotted in 2014 before
when it was said to be given to Okeke.
Mr Sam Mba, Cchairman of Market Development Committee of the council,
said the allocation documents tendered by Okeke and the monarch were
genuine but expressed surprise that the parties did not approach the
council for reconciliation before going public.
Mr Samben Nwosu, the Federal Commissioner in charge of Anambra office of
PCC, said there was need for parties to allow peace to reign on the
matter, adding that the Ombudsman did not judge who was right or wrong
but mediate for amicable settlement.
Nwosu said technicalities would not be entertained and urged the parties
to come with witnesses who would help to authenticate their rightful
ownership of the space in dispute.
He ordered the surveyor who did the job be invited and the sitting
local government chairman also come with the details of allocation made
in the market since the project began.
He adjourned hearing on the matter until Aug. 23.