Guidelines on the conduct of Nzuko Arochukwu general elections

Based on the 18th April 1992 Constitution of Nzuko Arochukwu, the National Patrons advise that the following guidelines be used for the 26th March, 2016 General Elections of the Men’s wing.

Article 12 of the Nzuko Aro Constitution entrusted General Election matters at the Center on the NATIONAL PATRONS of the relevant Wing of Nzuko Aro.
And so Elections at the Center shall be conducted by the National Patrons.
The National Patrons of the Men’s Wing have at its meeting on 28th December, 2015 appointed three Experienced National Patrons to conduct the forth coming elections based on the terms and spirit of the Constitution. The three patrons are: (i). Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, past President General; (ii) Mazi Emma Kanu Ivi, immediate past President General and (iii) Mazi Dave Imoko, past Sec General & onetime Head of Nzuko Aro Interim Administration.
The VENUE of the Elections shall be at Aro Civic Center being the Nzuko Aro’s normal place of holding General Assembly meetings for over the past 15 years.
The Election Date is Easter Saturday, 26/3/16.
Accreditation will begin by 10 am at the Civic Center Venue on 26/3/16 and ends before 12noon to enable voting starts soon after and end early.
Election of officers shall be by show of hands (in such a manner as the Electoral team deems fit to ensure adequate transparency and fairness).
Officers to be elected are as stated in Article 7A of the Constitution, Namely: (i) President General; (ii). 1st Vice President General; (iii). 2nd Vice President General; (iv). Secretary General; (v). Administrative Secretary / Asst. Secretary General; (vi). Financial Secretary General; (vii). Asst. Financial Secretary. General; (vii). Treasurer General; (ix). Publicity Sec. General; (x). Legal Adviser General; (xi). Social/Welfare Secretary. General; and (xii) Provost General.
Participation in the voting during the Elections shall be on Branch Delegates Basis only provided that the participating delegate is a financial up to date member of Nzuko Aro for a period not less than twelve (12) consecutive months. A financial member is one who is up to date in payment of his dues, levies, or other monetary obligations. See Article 10.1.
Any Branch that desires to participate in the General election but whose intended delegates and participating members are not financially up to date as described in Article 10.1 shall between now and March 22nd 2016 pay the required sums into Nzuko Aro account (the Bank details can be obtained from either Financial Secretary General or Treasurer General). Copies of payments should be forwarded to the Financial Secretary General of Nzuko Aro for his records; and the National Patron Electoral Team through Mazi Dave Imoko for accreditations purposes.
Financial clearance certificate will be needed from the Delegates Branches to qualify them for accreditations.
Branches are categorized into A, B, & C. And according to Nzuko Aro published List of Branches in 2010, the Categorization is as follows: Category A: Aba, Abakaliki, Abuja, Arochukwu, Enugu, Lagos, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Umuahia. Each will provide 7 delegates. Category B: Onitsha, Ibadan, Calabar, Kano, Markudi, Awka, Kaduna, Yola, Ohafia, and Nsukka will provide 5 delegates each. Category C: Nnewi, Jos, Afikpo, Okigwe, Obigbo, and Effium will bring in 3 delegates each.
Villages are also categorized under A, B, & C in Article 13 of the constitution for the purpose of attending General Assembly meetings and to vote on any matter. But most of us know that all the villages had opted to merge into one single Branch called Arochukwu (HOME) Branch as a body over 20 years ago when the villages complained that they could not cope with the heavy financial obligations of operating as individual Branches. And that request was granted them during Mazi Ukwu Udoni’s Presidency. Therefore, as no village has ever since then-after opted out as a separate Branch of Nzuko Aro from the Home Branch, no village may be allowed to vote as village delegates except where any village now opts to register as a separate Branch of Nzuko Aro and pay all its financial obligations to date. Such village may be required to sign an undertaking by its President General and the Eze Ogo that such village will continue then-after to operate as an active branch of Nzuko Arochukwu outside the Home Branch and meeting all the financial obligations of the Center including attending all its meetings in and outside Arochukwu from now on. Village categories are as follows: “A” category has 5 delegates each: Amanagwu, Amuvi, Asaga, Atani, Ibom, Obinikta and Ujari. A total of 35 delegates. “B” category has 3 delegates each: Agbagwu, Amangwu, Amasu, Isinkpu, Ugbo, Ugwuakuma, Ugwuavor and Utughaugwu. A total of 24 delegates. And “C” has 2 delegates each: Amankwu, Amaoba, Amukwa, and OroR. Therefore all the 19 village-delegates with a total number of 68 delegates are entitled to attend the General Assembly. But certain constitutional conditions to vote may apply.
All other financial members of Nzuko Aro from duly qualified Branches, including Presidents General of Village Unions and Ndi Eze are free to attend and participate in the meeting but are not entitled to vote except if any of such a person is a duly accredited delegate of a qualified to-vote-Branch.
Any other person who is not a registered financial member of Nzuko Aro is not qualified to attend any Nzuko Aro General Assembly Meeting per Article 13.iv of the constitution. And shall not be allowed to attend so as to avoid over crowding the venue with strange fellows and to ensure peaceful elections.
To ensure orderliness at the venue, people are expected to sit peacefully on Branch by Branch basis for easy identification, accreditations and crowd control purposes. All Branch delegates list must be signed by the Branch President and Secretary and a copy of it sent to the National Patron Electoral Team through Mazi Dave Imoko, latest 3pm on Good Friday, 25/3/16.
The Treasurer General, Financial Secretary General, Branch Presidents, and the aspirants may be required to hold a pre Election Clearance meeting with the National Patrons at Arochukwu on or before Good Friday 25/3/16 to put various things in order. Prof Okoro Ijoma (Chairman of the National Patrons) and Mazi Dave Imoko (Secretary) will arrange for the meeting, its venue, date and time and inform the people at least 48hrs to the meeting.
Finally, the National Patrons appeal to everyone to cooperate with the Electoral Team and help contribute to our expected very free, fair and peaceful elections. May God bless Nzuko Arochukwu and you all.