To avert a breach of peace following the leadership crisis, the Umueri Royal Cabinet in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State has set up a reconciliation committee to meet with the President-General of Umueri General Assembly, UGA, Ambassador John Metchie.
It also condemned in strong terms an attempt by a few executive members of the Umueri General Assembly (UGA) to cause division in the community.
Rising from an emergency meeting in Umueri, the Umueri Royal Cabinet said it has waded into the matter and taken some decisions to bring lasting peace to the community.
A communiqué signed by Princess Prince Ngozi Okoye (Adaigbo), Secretary, Umueri Royal Cabinet, said the factional UGA executive acted illegally by passing a vote of no confidence on the President-General of UGA, Ambassador John Metchie, without consultation.
It also frowned against media attacks on Metchie and Igwe Benneth Emeka, warning perpetrators to stop such activities with immediate effect. There may be legal action against any person that repeats such, the cabinet stated.
Consequently, a four-man committee was set up to meet with Metchie with a view of finding lasting peace in the community.
The Communiqué reads:”We the Umueri Royal cabinet and indi Itchies have waded into this matter after a high level meeting held yesterday, Sunday July 16, 2023 and discussed and agreed as follows:
“That the publication and vote of no confidence on the Umueri President General by Nine UGA executives without first consulting the cabinet and Ndi Itchies is condemned
“That all the insults and defamations on the person of Igwe Okebo II and PG Metchie is an effrontery on Umueri as a whole and should stop immediately
“That all other write ups in all WhatsApp platforms of Umueri including villages and print media should seize henceforth.
“Additionally, Umueri has no autonomous status yet, any person or quarter parading himself or themselves as Igwe of himself or themselves is impersonating and should be charged accordingly with immediate effect in the court of law.
“That any person found or caught or seen in contravention of the above shall be prosecuted without further warning.
“Subcommittee led by High Chief Egbema shall meet with PG Chief Johnny Metchie on Wednesday, 19th July, 2023 as a matter of urgency towards resolution of the crisis.
“We assure everybody of a positive intervention in the matter.”
It would be recalled that some members of the UGA executive had last week passed a document in which they claimed that a vote of no confidence was passed against the President General of UGA, Ambassador John Metchie and his deputy.
But in quick response, majority of UGA executive members passed a vote of confidence on Metchie and his deputy and declared the purported vote of no confidence as illegal, adding tha the purveyors were jokers who had no mandate of the people.
In the same vein, many organisations, including Umueri elders, women, youth and others wrote several letters and petitions to the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, condemning the said troublemakers and reaffirmed their support and solidarity with Dr Metchie and his team while listing the various achievements recorded by Metchie barely one year and three months in office.
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