Disquiet has enveloped Isiagu Akpawfu autonomous community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State following allegations of attempts to impose a traditional ruler on the people against the community's constitutional provisions.

According to reports, despite an ongoing case at the Court of Appeal regarding the Igweship tussle, Prince Tony Okoye has already received a Certificate of Recognition and Return, sparking outrage among community members.

Speaking to journalists in Enugu on Friday, Chief James Ede Ogbu, one of the contestants for the Igweship stool, expressed dismay over his disqualification on grounds that he is not a native of the autonomous community—a claim he described as "funny and laughable."

"I'm from Umu-Ogaa kindred, in Obodo Onovo Nwowo village and it is gazetted. Telling me that I'm not from the autonomous community made me ask why this should be so," Ogbu stated.

He alleged that the omission of his family name from community records was deliberate and part of a conspiracy to prevent him from participating in the Igweship election.

Ogbu emphasized that according to the community's constitution, an Igwe can only emerge through election and not by imposition. He insisted that no election took place that led to Prince Tony Ike Okoye's emergence as the traditional ruler.

"Three contestants had earlier been screened and cleared by the electoral committee, but I was surprised when Okoye went to obtain an injunction that stopped the process," Ogbu revealed.

He noted that he had appealed against the judgment to correct the impression that he was not a citizen of the community. However, while the case was still pending in court, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Chief Okey Ogbodo, reportedly recognized Okoye as the traditional ruler on April 26, 2025, without conducting an election.

Mr. Ibezimako Ede Stephen, Assistant Secretary of the town union, corroborated Ogbu's claims, describing the assertion that Ogbu is not from the community as "a lie from the pit of hell."

"I'm saying this because conscience is an open wound that only truth can heal. We do not want the government to recognize anybody as Igwe for now. We have not gotten any Igwe; we want to choose our Igwe through an election," Stephen declared.

Both Ogbu and Stephen have appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to intervene in the matter and ensure that the community's constitutional provisions for selecting a traditional ruler are respected.

Efforts by reporters to reach the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters for comment were unsuccessful as his phone line was unreachable at the time of filing this report.