Less than five months from now, eligible Umu Aro will line up to elect a new President-General (P-G) of Nzuko Arochukwu Worldwide, along with his cabinet members, as the current Executive Council led by Mazi George Ezuma winds down its tenure in April next year.
Already, two candidates have emerged seeking to wear the crown to be relinquished by the technocrat, who is serving out a two-term tenure of six years.
The Candidates/Team
The candidates are: The sitting First Vice President General, Sir Dozie Udensi (Omeziribe), and Deacon Kingsley Okoro Kanu (Kingmoore). While the former is resident in Owerri, Imo State, the latter is based in Lagos.
The election is scheduled to hold during the Easter period next year.
None of the two candidates is a push over by any standard. And to prove that they are indeed serious, they have since lubricated their campaign machineries, which have also swung into action and doing far-reaching consultations among Umu Aro aimed at securing their support.
Aro News learned that the candidates have in addition picked their respective teams, which will constitute the Executive Council, should they win.
The would-be officers were said to have been selected largely on the basis of established track record of community service and competence.
However, Aro News was unable to establish the full identities of the team players in both camps.
Consultations
In the last couple of months, the candidates for the post of P-G have been visiting branches of Nzuko Aro, village meetings and the gatherings of notable social clubs to sell their candidature to the members.
Not a few Umu Aro believe they have carried on with decency and decorum, sign-posting maturity on their part.
Indeed keen observers are impressed with the conduct of the two presidential candidates, particularly as they have been sighted on a few occasions at public events sitting close to each other and chatting heartily.
Profile
Sir Dozie Udensi, according to documents detailing his profile, which Aro News sighted, has held several top positions in the public sector. The profile also indicates that he has long been involved in community development activities in Aro and elsewhere.
For instance, he has served as Special Adviser to Imo State governor; was the Chairman, Adapalm, General Manager of Imo Palm and Fruits, President, Irvingia (Ogbono) Value Chain Producers Association of Nigeria – Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Federal Ministry of Industries, Trade and Investment and currently a modern day farmer, businessman and employer of labour.
He is also a serving 1st Vice President General of the incumbent administration, which has striven to make a statement with modest community development anchored on experience and integrity.
He is co-author of The AroDep2030, a strategic development plan, as a working document for community mobilisation, self rediscovery and sustainable progress.
Captioned ‘Oganivu Aro: Building a Kingdom City’, the document is an Arochukwu community driven 10-year-development plan (2020-2030).
Omezeribe, as he is fondly called, is the immediate past President General of Atani Welfare Union; past President of Nzuko Aro Owerri branch; Chairman, Atani Advisory Council, a Knight of St Christopher in the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), etc.
His campaign team says he preaches and practices Probity, Accountability and Transparency (PAT), the key attributes he proposes to bring into office if elected as P-G as well as integrity.
On his part, Mazi Kingsley Okoro Kanu is a Deacon in the Christ Embassy Ministries.
He is also a successful businessman, a Patron of Nzuko Aro, Lagos branch; Patron, Nzuko Amannagwu in Lagos, and a founding member of Aro-Okeigbo Social Club of Nigeria (AROSON).
His campaign document is titled ‘Ngwugwu Ano”, through which proposes to transform Aro Kingdom and ensure that the stool of Arochukwu Monarchy – Eze Aro – regains its reverence, etc.
Kingmoore, as he is fondly called, has also promised to position Nzuko Aro to be able to address youth unemployment and delinquency in Aro.
Not a few Umu Aro believe that both candidates parade leadership credentials, which they have tirelessly presented to different branches of Nzuko Aro, as well as some village gatherings.
Needless to say that the stage is setting for an epic contest for Nzuko Aro top post come April 2022.
Election Guidelines/Procedure
Nzuko Arochukwu constitution provides that the election be conducted by the National Patrons of the union.
It is the duty of the Body of Nzuko Aro National Patrons (Men’s wing) to appoint a panel of electoral umpire headed by a Chairman/Returning Officer for the election.
The constitution prescribes the election to be by show of hand (open ballot) of delegates selected from Nzuko Aro branches and villages.
The winner is usually decided by simple majority, but the Exco is not constituted by ‘bandwagon’. In other words, the emergence of the P-G from one camp does not automatically confer victory on his team members – namely VPs, Sec. Gen., Fin. Sec, Treasurer etc. Each office is keenly contested.
Delegates to Election
The branches and villages are categorized into A, B and C. Only financially up-to- date delegates are usually cleared to vote.
Category A branches with 7 delegates each are, Abuja, Aba, Abakaliki, Arochukwu, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu, Lagos an Port Harcourt.
Category B branches with 5 delegates each are, Onitsha, Ibadan, Calabar, Kano, Makurdi, Awka, Kaduna, Yola, Ohafia and Nsukka.
Category C branches with 3 delegates each are Nnewi, Jos, Afikpo, Okigwe, Asaba, Obigbo and Effium.
Similarly, the 19 villages are also categorized under A, B and C.
Category A villages with 5 delegates each are, Amannagwu, Amuvi, Atani, Asaga, Ibom, Obinkita and Ujari.
Category B villages with 3 delegates each are, Agbagwu, Amangwu, Amasu, Isimkpu, Ugbo, Ugwuakuma, Ugwuavor and Utughugwu.
Category C villages with 2 delegates each are, Amankwu, Amoba, Amukwa and Oror.
Incumbent Exco/Benchmark for successor
Even the fiercest critics of the George Ezuma-led administration cannot but agree that it has done well in several areas.
Some of the notable achievements of the administration – either by itself or by those who are aligned with its vision – include completion of the Aro Civic Centre, which was spearheaded by Dr. Alex Otti; fencing of Eze Aro Palace with a magnificent gate, a project that was undertaken by Mazi Obasi Lawson (Sobaz); fencing of the Civic Centre, which was done by Dr. Emma Nwadeyi.
Other achievements include the construction of internal roads by Senators Orji Uzor Kalu and Mao Ohuabunwa , Dr. Alex Otti and Engrs. Eberechukwu Oji and Emeka Maduagwu, as well as the renovation of Arochukwu General Hospital, which was a collective effort of Umu Aro at home and in the Diaspora.
The administration maintained a cordial relationship with the Akwa Ibom State government, which led to the reconstruction of the Nkana road with an additional bridge into Arochukwu.
It also graded the Okobo road, without depending on the snail pace work on the Arochukwu/ Ohafia highway.
The death and burial of Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro, CFR was done during the tenure of Mazi Ezuma while accountability, transparency and probity have been its watch word with the periodic publications of its financial statements on both print and social media.
Sir Dozie Udensi says if elected P-G, he would strive to surpass the achievements of the administration of George Ezum, having learned the ropes as First Vice President General for six years.
And for Deacon Kingmoore, innovation and human capacity development shall be his focus if elected P-G. He said his administration would make a great difference in Aro.
Indeed both candidates have left no one in doubt about their determination to clinch the P-G seat, guided by the traditional wisdom associated with Aro.
Aro News learned that, this Christmas, both candidates plan to reach out the more, while consolidating their perceived strongholds.
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