The Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Chinwe Nwaebili, is now literally at war with her father, Chief P.C.U. Afubera, over his plan to confer a chieftaincy title on the member representing Ogbaru federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Ogene.

The title conferment, which was planned penultimate weekend at the palace of the speaker’s father at Ogbakuba community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state, was shelved at the behest of Ogene to avert what sources said could permanently mar the cordial relationship existing between the speaker and her father.

Both the speaker and the federal lawmaker who is currently the House of Representatives Committee Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs, hail from the same Ogbaru council area although from different communities.

But whereas Ogene is the incumbent representative of the federal constituency in the House of Representatives, and is known to be seeking re-election in the general election next year, the Anambra speaker, who would have completed her second term as the member representing Ogaru 1 state constituency in the state House of Assembly before the 2015 general election is said to be eyeing Ogene’s seat.

Both of them belong to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). That is the clash of interest that made the speaker, according to sources in her father’s palace, prevail on the monarch not to confer a chieftaincy title on Ogene, which she was said to have told her father would be interpreted as a tacit endorsement on the federal lawmaker’s second term ambition and damaging her own interest for the seat.

It was learnt that Igwe Afubera, who is now in a quandary, had taken a decision to honour the federal lawmaker with a title in appreciation of the quality representation he had rendered so far to the people of the federal constituency and his numerous youth and indigent people empowerment programmes.

But Ogene in a statement by his media aide, Edward Dibiana, yesterday advised the traditional ruler to completely shelve the chieftaincy conferment award so that he would not be seen as pitting daughter and father against over the title and her ambition.

The statement, which clearly stated that the federal lawmaker had decided to withdraw from the chieftaincy conferment read in parts: “The postponement of a chieftaincy title conferment on Hon. Victor Ogene by His Royal Highness, Igwe P.C.U. Afubera, Eze Izagbo II of Ogbakuba, Ogbaru council area of Anambra State, billed for Saturday, July 26, 2014, at Ogbakuba, has been shelved to avoid the intense politicisation and attempt to breach public peace, using the occasion as an excuse.”

Ogene, the statement added, however thanked the people of Ogbakuba for the honour done him and pledged to always abide by his principle of politics without bitterness.

•Credit: THISDAY. Photo shows Anambra State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Chinwe Nwaebili.

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