The paramount ruler of Aba, the commercial capital of Abia State, HRM Eze Isaac Ikonne, has come under the hammer from the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers for conferring a chieftaincy title on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd).
Ikonne had conferred on Buhari the chieftaincy title of Ogbuagu 1 (Killer of Tiger) of Aba Kingdom at the weekend when he paid homage to the monarch during an APC campaign rally in Aba.
Unsettled by the action of the monarch, which was viewed as an endorsement of the presidential candidate, the traditional council in the state scolded Ikonne and warned him to steer clear of partisan politics.
Chairman of the council of traditional rulers in the state, Eze Eberechi Dick, said Ikonne lacked the powers to confer such title on Buhari on behalf of Aba monarchs as he (Ikonne) is only in charge of his Eziama autonomous community.
According to Dick, Aba had 400 autonomous communities, wondering why Ikonne alone would confer on Buhari a chieftaincy title on behalf of the other traditional rulers without their consent.
He said, “Ikonne is even a tenant in his community because Osusu where Ikonne is resident has a traditional ruler. Aba in stricter sense is made up of two local government areas, namely Aba North and Aba South, while Aba as a zone is made up of nine council areas with over 400 communities.”
“Ikonne is, therefore, incompetent to give somebody title on behalf of Aba. Abia Traditional rulers hereby condemn Ikonne’s resort to politics.
“Ikonne hosted Buhari, Rochas Okorocha, Amaechi of Rivers State and used the occasion to attack Abia State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria. We disown him and his statements.
“We shall investigate it and take appropriate actions”.
