The people of Ngwogwo, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi state has peacefully elected new leaders to pilot the affairs of the area for the next three years.
Election of the newly elected leaders of the community took place on Saturday February 17, 2024 in the presence of the Commissioner for Boarder Peace and Conflict Resolutions, Dr. Donatus Ilang, Chairman of Ivo LGA Emmanuel Ajah, security agents including Police, Army, DSS, Civil Defence among others.
At the end, Ogbonnaya Okeke emerged Chairman of the community with a total of 146 votes to beat his rival, Ekeh Maduabuchi who polled 18 votes.
There were also election for other positions in the community.
Chairman of the LGA, Chief Ajah, hailed the peaceful conduct of the election.
He said it was the first time Ngwogwo community experienced peaceful election as against the bloody experience of the past.
“This is the first election in the history of Ngwogwo community that has been done without violence. We have successfully conducted today’s election without any fight between on person or the other.
“Some people went on air saying that there will be no election in Ngwogwo, that government did not support today’s election. But you can see the government here conducting the elections themselves.
“The Commissioner for Boarder and Conflict Resolution is here with people from his ministry, we have the DSs, Police, Civil Defence and journalists from difference media organizations here. And all that is required to conduct this election is here, so who else do they want to conduct the election?
“The people that emerged today as leaders, it was not by your powers that you emerged, but by the power of God because he has destined that today you will be leaders of Ngwogwo community. Maybe the successive leaders shared money, but this government in power does not share money. My own standard is work for your village and make name for yourself.
“Whatever you are doing, you are seen, whether good or bad, it is not social media thing where you will stay in Abakaliki and be writing that the village is on fire and other fabricated stories, we are doing practical things that are seen.
“Please this your government that was elected today being 17th February, will elapse on 5th of January, 2027. This election lingered till today because the Governor constituted a committee through the Commissioner for Conflict Resolution to look into the issue with the leadership of Ngwogwo community which lasted till December and it was discovered that the tenure of the past leadership had elapsed and one month notice was given for you people to prepare for this election.
“There must be peace in Ivo LGA, there must be peace in Ngwogwo community. Nobody single handedly install any of these leaders today but Ngwogwo community elected the people they want so work for the community”, he stated.
Commissioner for Boarder Peace and Conflict Resolution, Donatus Illang, in his speech thanked Governor Francis Nwifuru for providing enabling environment for the election.
“I want to let you people, the elected persons to know one very important thing, that you are the face of Ngwogwo, that you are representing Ngwongwo anywhere in Ivo LGA ,even in Ebonyi state and the entire country.
“You have to carry everybody along irrespective of the faction which I know does not exist in the community. Seeing what happened here, it has shown that there is no group, no faction anywhere in Ngwogwo and indeed I want you to demonstrate that. Apply every efforts you know for the development of Ngwogwo, never you betray this crowd you are seeing here,” he said.
“The Chairman has said it all, your tenure ends on 5th of January, 2027. For anybody who will come to take over from you would have to come on the normal time for the election. I want to also inform you that this peace you have established here today will be permanent.”
