NEW EZE-NDIGBO EMERGES IN KEBBI STATE.
FROM : AYODELE AJOGE, BIRNIN-KEBBI.
The Igbo Communities in Kebbi State as at penultimate week elected their new Eze-Ndigbo for the State.
In a press statement made available to newsmen by the the Public Relation Officer of the Community, Frank Omeh indicated that the election which took place at the Igbo Hall in Birnin kebbi was witness by the representative of the Emir of Gwandu and other non indegenous traditional rulers in the state.
He stated that after the declaration of the the election, the President General of the Igbo community, and also the Chairman electoral committee, Chief Samuel Nnamani said the electoral committee accredited 466 persons, with three contestants, Chief Emeka Emeson Okafor and three others contested the election.
The Statement stated that Chief Okafor scored 461 votes to beat Chief Ben Edeh who scored 5 votes and Chief Samuel Obi who polled 0 vote to emerged as the new Eze Ndigbo for Kebbi State.
Chief Samuel Nnamani who commended the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar for his fatherly role in the affairs of the Igbo community in Birnin kebbi assured him that the Igbos will always used his words of advice to preach peace and unity among the Igbo community across the state.
In his remark, the representative of the Emir of Gwandu, Dallatun Gwandu, Abubakar Udu Idris who supervised the election on behalf of the emirate council commended the Igbo Community for their conduct in ensuring that the election was free and fair.
In his speech, the new Eze Ndigbo elect, Chief Emeka Emeson Okafor (Dan-Jikan Gwandu) thanked the Emir of Gwandu and the good people of kebbi state for the cordial relationship between them and the Igbo Community in the State.
Chief Okafor also pleadged to use his office to uniting the Igbo community in the State, as he urged those who have grudges within the association to put their differences aside and work towards the development of Igbo community, across the State.
The election was attended by the executives of Igbo communitiea the women and youth wing including representatives from the five states of the south east of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.