Polycarp Sola – Abakaliki
Chief Obeji Linus Nkwuda has been reelected to serve for another 3 years tenure as the chairman of the Abakaliki Rice Mill industry in a peaceful election conducted at the Mill company.
Obeji Linus, Who stood unopposed during the election Reemereged as the chairman with a total vote of 215 as the members Affirmed maximum support for his second tenure.
In his acceptance speech he thanked governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for restoring peace to rice mill industry by ensuring that the company’s constitutions are maintained, saying he is emulating the governors gesture of peace building.
“I’ve only exploited the grace of His Excellency, the governor of Ebonyi state, who is the builder of our people, including me, the trade mark of Ebonyi state government since inception is peace, and we have emulated that, since he came, we have changed the narratives from leadership to friendship” Obeji said.
He appreciated the mill owners for their massive support and pledged to serve selflessly in accordance with the company’s Constitution as well as carry everyone along, including the former chairmen and patrons.
Chief Jerry Oduma, the election chairman thanked all the rice mill owners for their support towards ensuring the peaceful conduct of the election and charged the leadership to operate an open door policy where everyone would be carried along.
Meanwhile, Eye witness reports noted that Hon. Joseph Ununu, the member representing Abakaliki South constituency at the Ebonyi state House of Assembly and a former chairman of the mill company had earlier endorsed the new leadership and urged them to continue to work according to the established constitution of the company.
Appreciating the peaceful conduct of the election, His Royal Highness, Sunday Nkwegu Oketa, the Onouha 3 of Nkaleke autonomous community, thanked governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for ensuring that peace has returned to the mill company and described the election as free and fair.
Former Rice mill chairman who served from 2005 to 2012. Hon Nwibo Vincent Mbam has described the outcome of the election as entirely peaceful, saying that Abakaliki rice mill is returning to its past glory.
“The era of conducting the election at the stadium is gone, and I can say that the chairman, Linus Obeji is emulating the governor of Ebonyi state in terms of peace.”, Mbam noted.
Lending his voice, Hon. Prince Friday Oketa, who is the serving coordinator of the Echiaba Development Centre in the Ebonyi Local Government area of the state, thanked Governor Nwifuru for allowing the mill owners to work with their constitution and commended the members for the peaceful conduct of the election.