Emeabiam Youth Crisis: Why we set up Caretaker Executive -Umuso Electoral Committee

Following the accusations of racketeering and illegal sales of lands, including government owned ones, Umusu village in Emeabiam Community in Owerri West local government area of Imo State, has set up a Caretaker Executive for Umuso Youth Progressive Association.

Disclosing this to newsmen, Chairman of the Electoral Committee for Umuso Youth Progressive Association, Mr Henry Nwabueze said the committee cancelled the election of 3rd December, 2024 because one Stanley Nwaobilor, said to have won the election, is at the centre of the accusations of land grabbing and sales, which the village is against.

Eboh revealed that the Electoral Committee warned that even after the election, anyone found involved in the alleged illegal sale of lands, including government owned lands, will be held responsible.

He added that even after the election, the former two term youth president who eventually won the election of last month, was still going ahead to sell lands and the Electoral Committee cancelled the election and set up a 6-man Caretaker Committee headed by Mr Chinondu Eke.

Corroborating what the Electoral Committee chairman said, an elder from Umusu village of Emeabiam, Elder Stanley Eboh stated that there have been problems due to bad leadership of the youths association.

He decried what he said is illegal sale of lands including encroachment into the Emeabiam Rubber Plantation, which is a government owned land by the leadership of the former youth president in collaboration with some elders, especially since last year.

Elder Eboh said they have tried to stop the illegality and criminality to no avail and decided to get government to intervene in the matter.

He continued that the village decided to set up a Caretaker Committee on Wednesday 29th January, 2025 with Mr Chinondu Eke as the Chairman, saying that the Caretaker Committee will conduct an election for the substantive Youth President in a few months time.

On why the community traditional leadership has not intervened in the matter, Eboh disclosed since HRH Eze Akujiobi Okereafor, the last traditional Emeabiam died over fifteen years ago, the community has not been able to find a replacement due mainly to disagreements.

In his one reaction, Chairman of the Umuso Youth Progressive Association Caretaker Committee, Mr Chinondu Eke disclosed that the committee has a mandate to stop the illegal land sales and move the community forward.

He said his Committee plans to draft a constitution for the association, organise a registration of all youths, provide them with ID cards, register the association, open bank account and organize an election for the youths in 8 months time.

Eke decried that past leadership had no bank account, no minutes of meetings and was never accountable to the youths and village despite the alleged illegal sale of over 100 plots of lands.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman disclosed that the village had written to the government, police and State Security Services to intervene, and called on all the youths to support them.