Politics
Chairman, Councillors’ Feud Blamed On Political
The on-going political crisis between the Omuma Local Government Council Chairman, Hon John Anucha and the ten councillors of the council has been blamed on alleged selfish and parochial interest of a political clique known as the ‘Omuma Big Eight’.
A prominent politician in Omuma, Chief Jude Ubani who made the allegation in an exclusive interview with The Tide said the clique was using the councillors to frustrate the administration of Hon Anucha for refusing to bring allocations of the area, since inception of office to their table for sharing.
He explained that before the councillors sent their controversial petition to the River State House of Assembly, Omuma Elders Advisory council made up of responsible elders from the ten wards in Omuma mediated in the crisis and discovered that virtually all the demands by the councillors centred around their personal interest instead of the Omuma people and advised them not to wash their dirty linen in the public.
Chief Ubani, who is also a social commentator in the state expressed shock that the councillors were unable to pass a bill since three years in office.
“They do not even know anything about law-making. They are just there to get their allowance and whatever they think is due them”, he maintained.
Commenting on the allegation that the council boss spends N7 million on security, Chief Ubani said it is funny in view of the serious security situation in Omuma which shares same border with Ngwa where the notorious late kidnap kingpin ,Osisikaukwu comes from.
He praised Hon Anucha for what he described as his long list of achievements. “Apart from two or three communities around Ariramiri, all communities in Omuma are electrified with the council picking the bills, built market stalls, ultramodern secretariat, built parks, pays bursary to students, gives scholarship to Omuma students and takes care of elderly persons in the area amongst others”, he said.
Chief Ubani who was a prominent member of ANPP said the impressive performances of Hon Aucha in Omuma and Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi at the state level forced him to dump opposition and noted that his shift to PDP, marked the death of opposition in Omuma and Etche.
“Governor Amaechi and Hon Anucha are God-sent. Their impressive performances made me move over to PDP and with my exit from opposition camp, opposition is dead in Omuma and even Etche,” he remarked.
He further stated that he had initiated moves “to dismantle the Omuma Big Eight who think they own Omuma and always want to occupy important political positions or want their stooges who they can manipulate”.
He lauded Governor Amaechi for building world class schools across the twenty-three local government areas in the state, massive road constructions, health centres, local and overseas scholarship to Rivers students, power station among others and stressed that Governor Amaechi administration cannot be compared to the eight years of Dr. Peter Odili which he termed a total waste.
He advised Omuma people to continue to give support to Hon Anucha’s administration at the local government level and expressed support to Governor Amaechi’s re election to enable him complete the good work he is doing for the state.
“Amaechi does not need further campaign, even the recent two million-man match is a waste of resources because the governor’s work is enough campaign for him,” he noted.
Chris Oluoh
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
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