The residents of the World Bank Housing Estate under the umbrella of the World Bank Assembly, on Saturday, held an election to produce a President to oversee the affairs of the community in order to contain the prevalent insecurity in Umuahia North LGA, Abia State.
Challenges facing the estate include insecurity, lack of development, unity, irregular power supply and lack of electric transformers, no water and dilapidated road infrastructure, among others, while criminal-minded youths have converted the school in the area to a place for sale and intake of hard drugs, weeds and other anti-social behaviours.
Addressing the community before the election, the electoral committee chairman, Charles Nzeduru said the election, first of its kind, was aimed at producing a leader who will interface with the state government to bring development to the area.
According to him, the election was preceded by the inauguration of an interim government in 2022 that midwifed the election and urged winners to carry all along, while pleading with losers to join hands with the winner to move the estate forward.
In the keenly contested election, Hon. Innocent Odoemenam polled 199 votes to defeat Uchenna Mike Ibegbunam who polled 160 votes.
Odoemenam offered his closest rivalry, Ibegbunam hands of friendship, assuring that he will ensure that the WBHE will be in synergy with the state government to attract development to the area.
He further assured that he will run an all-inclusive government, considering his experience as a former Transition Committee member in Ikwuano LGA, former aide to the LGA chairman, former aide to the LGA House of Assembly representative, former aide to the state governor and son of the LGA former chairman.
Reacting, the runner up, Uchenna Mike Ibegbunam assured of working with Odoemenam for the good of the estate.
Addressing the contestants after the election, the Interim President of the estate, Kingsley Ejiofor advised that the election should not be seen as political, as all have the ideas on what to do for the estate, stating that “All need ideas to work. Meet with the winner or the loser and work with him. We need better ideas”.
Miss Kanu Chioma Florence won as the Vice President, while Chibunna Michael Iheanyi Ariwodo was the Secretary.
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