By Felix Oti, Awka
Some stakeholders of Amanuke community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have visited the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, at the Old Government House, Awka, to seek clarification over the delay in issuing the Certificate of Return to Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD, whom they described as the winner of the President-General election conducted last Saturday.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Chief Chukwujindu Nwoye and Chief Ephraim Nwafor said the visit was to ascertain what was delaying the release of the official results and Certificate of Return following the election held at Union Primary School, Amanuke.
Chief Nwoye said that, based on the Option A4 voting method used, Comrade Odogwu reportedly recorded three lines of supporters, while his opponent, Hon. Simon Orakwe, had fewer lines, which, according to him, clearly indicated Odogwu’s victory.
He said the stakeholders were therefore requesting that the Certificate of Return be issued accordingly.
He further noted that the community has faced several development challenges over the years, including power supply issues and limited access to functional public facilities, which he attributed to leadership gaps.
According to him, the community’s support for Comrade Odogwu was driven by the desire for renewed leadership and improved development.
Chief Nwoye also alleged that tension arose at the election venue while officials were concluding the collation process, leading to disruptions that prevented the immediate announcement of the results. He said community leaders made efforts to calm the situation in the interest of peace.
The stakeholders appealed to the Anambra State Government to review the situation objectively and, if necessary, visit the community to assess issues firsthand.
Responding, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, thanked the delegation for their peaceful conduct and assured them that the government would carefully study all available reports, including video and photographic evidence, before taking an official position.
He added that the outcome of the government’s findings would be made public.
Earlier in Amanuke, one of the leaders of the Odogwu Campaign Council, operating under the platform New Face of Amanuke, Odogwu 2026, Chief Chukwuemeka Mmekwe (Ozo Echetamma I of Amanuke and Akaekpuchionwa II of Amanuke), urged the state government to issue the Certificate of Return to Comrade Odogwu, whom he said secured the highest number of votes.
He thanked Amanuke indigenes at home and in the diaspora for their participation in the election and pledged continued mobilization for the community’s development under Odogwu’s leadership.
It would be recalled that Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD, who is also the Anambra State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), emerged winner of the President-General election of the Amanuke Development Union.
According to results from the poll, Odogwu polled 576 votes to defeat his closest rival, Hon. Simon Orakwe, who garnered 532 votes in the keenly contested election.
The election reportedly witnessed heightened tension after the counting of votes, which prevented the immediate announcement of results by officials of the Anambra State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs and the Local Government authorities.
The exercise, held on Saturday, January 31, at the Union Primary School Field, Amanuke, attracted a large turnout of indigenes and was monitored by officials of the Ministry, the Anambra State Town Unions Council (ASTUC), and security personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Conducted using the Option A4 voting system, the election marked the conclusion of the tenure of the former President-General, Mr. Samuel Okoye, which ended in August 2025.
While some executive positions were zoned and filled unopposed, the contest for President-General was between Comrade Odogwu Emeka and Hon. Simon Orakwe, both from Umudiogo village, in line with the community’s zoning arrangement.
Although accreditation and voting were largely peaceful, tension reportedly arose after the counting stage, prompting security operatives to intervene to restore order.
Subsequent results confirmed Odogwu Emeka as the winner, after which his supporters celebrated his emergence as President-General.
In his post-election address, Dr. Odogwu thanked the people of Amanuke for the confidence reposed in him, describing the outcome as a collective mandate for unity, peace, and development. He pledged to run an inclusive, transparent, and people-oriented administration and called on all stakeholders, including his opponent and supporters, to work together for the progress of the community.
“This victory is not about personal triumph but about the future of Amanuke. There is no victor and no vanquished,” he said.
However, Hon. Simon Orakwe disputed the outcome of the election, maintaining that he believed he won based on his assessment of the voting process, while acknowledging that the exercise was peaceful before the post-counting disruption.
