There is growing tension in Amankanu community, Nkanu East local government, following the conduct of election for the traditional stool of the community.
The election supervised by the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftancy Matters ended in controversy following the rejection of the election outcome by both contestants to the throne.
One of the contestants, Chief Bennett Ikenna allegedly announced publicly before the commencement of the election that he would not accept whatever was the outcome of the exercise, as according to him, proper procedures were not followed before the polls.
He however turned around to claim victory at the end of the election when he was credited with the highest number of votes, 607 votes as against 587 votes credited to his opponent, Prince Vitus Ani.
However, his opponent, Ani rejected the result, alleging that Chief Ikenna imported people from a neighbouring community, who masqueraded as Ama-Nkanu indigenes to swell his votes, and that the presiding officer, Chukwudi Onah, did not count many of his supporters, who queued behind him.
The tension-soaked exercise saw the state Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Barr. Fidelis Ani, who was almost held hostage, run for his safety after he was pressured to announce the result his presiding officer handed over to him.
Prince Vitus Ani while fielding question from journalists called on the state government to cancel the election in two out of the five villages because of alleged importation of strangers and other acts of fraud and intimidation.
“I want the election cancelled in two villages of Amaede and Ohubo because they cheated me there. The people that voted at Amaede are not the indigenes of Amaede village that is living in Ama-Nkanu, they are from their home base (Amaede) in Ehamufu in Isi-Uzo local government area. And also in Ohubo they counted one of my lines and refused to count two lines and people trouped in from outside and joined the line of my opponent.
“When I was telling the Director, Chukwudi Onah he refused to hear me and counted everybody because he is supporting
Bennett Ikenna, my opponent,” he alleged.
On his part, Chief Bennett Ikenna had earlier declared that he would not accept the outcome of the election because the constitution of Ama-Nkanu community was not strictly adhered to and that he was not given consideration as the pioneer secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the local government area
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