Coalition of Indigenous People of Aba Ngwa, has kicked against the proposed appointment of a ‘Mayor of Aba’ by Governor Alex Otti of Abia state, describing it as unconstitutional.
The Coalition, an umbrella body 24 indigenous communities of Aba North and Aba South, vowed to resist any attempt capable of inciting violence in Aba city.
The Aba coalition noted that appointing a non-indigene as the said ‘Mayor of Aba’ was an insult on the sensibilities of the peaceful and hard-working indigenous people of Aba.
The coalition in a communique issued Friday in and jointly signed by Mr. Ogechukwu Ogbonna, Mr. Chintua Nwagba and Obinna Greg, expressed worry that Aba has been deliberately excluded by the Governor in his appointments into the State Executive Council and in the leadership of the markets.
It reads: “That we express our utmost disappointment at the comment credited to Dr Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, wherein he described Aba as a no-man’s land.
“We are greatly worried that Aba has been deliberately excluded by the Governor in his appointments into the State Executive Council and in the leadership of the markets.
“That the proposed appointment of a ‘Mayor of Aba’ is not only unconstitutional, but also an aberration.
“That appointing a non-indigene as the Transition Committee Chairman of Aba is against the Abia State Local Government Transition Edict of 2002 which stipulates that the person appointed as a chairman shall be a native of the local government area.
“That appointing a non-indigene as the said ‘Mayor of Aba’, which has been said to be unconstitutional, is an insult on the sensibilities of the peaceful and hard-working indigenous people of Aba.
“That the actions of the Governor of Abia State in relation to appointments are tantamount to pushing the indigenous people of Aba into extinction, which is totally unacceptable to us.
“That we shall resist any attempt capable of inciting violence in Aba which the actions and utterances of the Governor are pointing towards.”