BY Mohamed Sankoh and Mohamed Bngura
The Nigerian Igbo Union Sierra Leone Chapter which was founded on the 6th June 1926, a non-profitable organization was focus to look into the affairs of Igbos in Sierra Leone.
A group of members of this union has called on the government of Sierra Leone through the judiciary to speedily look into an injunction trial case which was reported by some of it members in the union over their election and union issues.
Reliable sources have reached Day Break that, the past President and Chairman, Dr. Ernest Udeh and Co have claimed the union property by going to a secret registration of the Igbo Union property a land situated at Gloucester Village and purported to be the owners. It is also revealed that, Dr. Udeh have imposed an illegitimate executive that went through a fraudulent election that is not accepted by the general membership.
However, Dr. Udeh was also accused to have failed to hold a free, fair and impartial election for the general membership to choose their candidate, but rather choose and selected those that he can control and use in his own interest.
According to aggrieved members of the union further explained that, despite the intervention of their Nigerian High Commissioner who they said have invited them including their Stakeholders and Clergy Men to a peace meeting were a Seven (7) man interim body was to lead the union into a peaceful election, which was supposed to be on March 5th 2023, yet Dr. Ernest Udeh and Co refused to adhere to the call and to conduct free, fair and transparent election.
The union concern members also noted that, since them as Nigerian Igbo Union Sierra Leone Chapter and its membership were not in good terms over power struggle, the union members are at each other’s throat over which section or group in the union to lead the organization.
Others said, sometimes in May 2022, there was also an election to be conducted, but it was halted by the Sierra Leone Police, while they allegedly accused one, Friday Anedo and Ernest Udeh to be the ring leaders and devilish incarnate responsible for the chaos and indifference among the Nigerian Igbo Union Sierra Leone Chapter.
Furthermore, Friday Anedo, Dr. Ernest Udeh and Co were also accused of been responsible for the Sunday’s 5th March 2023 union election which was put on hold by an high court injunction, due to the fair that, majority of those who are vying for positions are not in their camp, therefore, if they accept any transparent, free and fair election that will take the affairs of the union for the benefit of all, Friday Anedo and Dr. Ernest Udeh who was a two term President and Chairman, will be worried to give account to the union for their stewardship, which many said has not been happen during his tenure.
Meanwhile, Dr. Udeh was also accused to have intimidating and disentrancing members who have the potential to take the union to another level, while he refused to adhere to the ambassador’s request to conduct a free, fair and impartial election.
The union also intimated this medium that, the land Dr. Udeh and Co are claiming at Gloucester was bought by the union, and all documents of the said property are intact to be produce as and when the need arise, therefore, the union is calling on the government to intervene to avert chaos.
Responding to these allegations, Dr. Ernest Udeh denied all the accusations asserting that, these group of people are lawless, unscrupulous and not adhering to rules and regulations governing the union.
He noted that, they are flouting codes of ethics and violating the constitution of the union on how, when and where election should be held. He added that some of these union members wanted to occupy executive’s positions without having the necessary requirements.
He was coated as saying ‘’I will not allow quack persons to lead this union under my watch’’.
Igbo Union Call for Justice
