Stakeholders from Amanuke community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have called on the Anambra State Government to issue a Certificate of Return to Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD, following his emergence as winner of the community’s President-General election held last Saturday.
The stakeholders made the demand during a visit to the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, at the old Government House in Awka, where they sought clarification over the delay in releasing the official election result.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Chief Chukwujindu Nwoye and Chief Ephraim Nwafor said they were in Government House to ascertain what was holding back the Certificate of Return for Odogwu, whom they insisted won the election conducted at Union Primary School, Amanuke.
According to Chief Nwoye, the election outcome was clear, noting that Odogwu polled three full lines of voters under the Option A4 voting system, while his closest rival, Hon. Simon Orakwe, had one and a half lines. He maintained that the figures reflected an unmistakable victory for Odogwu.
“We are here to collect Odogwu’s Certificate of Return because the people have spoken,” Nwoye said. “What happened afterwards should not erase the will of Amanuke people.”
Disruption of election
He accused Orakwe’s supporters of causing disruptions at the election venue shortly before the announcement of results, alleging that they destroyed property, including the community signpost, and created tension that nearly derailed the process.
“I was personally there trying to calm the situation because we wanted peace,” he said, appealing to the state government to visit Amanuke and assess the situation firsthand.
Nwoye further linked the agitation for change in leadership to years of what he described as poor representation, citing lack of electricity supply and the non-functionality of some health facilities in the community.
“There is electricity in neighbouring towns like Isu-Aniocha and Urum, but Amanuke is always in darkness. Some of our hospitals are not working because of leadership failure. That is why the people demanded change, and Odogwu is the vehicle for that change,” he added.
Responding to the delegation, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, thanked the community members for conducting themselves peacefully.
He assured them that the government would thoroughly review all materials related to the election.
“We will study the video clips and pictures from the election before the state government takes a position,” Nwabunwanne said. “All our findings will be made public.”
Reports indicated that Comrade Odogwu, who is also the Anambra State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), polled 576 votes to defeat Hon. Orakwe, who garnered 532 votes, in what was described as a keenly contested election.
Crisis averted
The election, however, nearly degenerated into crisis as officials of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs could not immediately announce the result due to rising tension at the venue.
Security operatives were reportedly forced to disperse the crowd using teargas and warning gunshots to prevent violence.
The exercise, held on Saturday, January 31, attracted a large turnout of Amanuke indigenes and was monitored by officials from the State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, the Anambra State Town Unions Council (ASTUC), as well as 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 under the Option A4 voting model, the election marked the end of the tenure of the former substantive President-General, Mr. Samuel Okoye, whose term expired in August 2025.
While some executive positions were zoned and filled unopposed, the President-General seat was hotly contested between Odogwu and Orakwe, both from Umudiogo village, which was next in line to produce the PG.
Following the emergence of results showing Odogwu as winner, supporters hoisted him shoulder-high and marched through parts of the community, chanting victory songs.
Odogwu’s appreciation
In his post-election address, Dr. Odogwu thanked the people of Amanuke for the confidence reposed in him, describing his victory as a collective mandate for unity and development.
“This is not about personal victory. There is no victor and no vanquished,” he said, extending an olive branch to his opponent and calling for cooperation across all segments of the community.
He pledged to run an inclusive, transparent and people-oriented administration focused on accountability, grassroots development and community participation.
However, Orakwe rejected claims that Odogwu won the election, insisting that his own assessment showed he emerged victorious, although he acknowledged that the voting process itself was peaceful before the disruption that followed the counting stage.
