Enugu Government Suspends Traditional Ruler For Alleged High-Handedness, Denies Suspension Linked To Peter Obi’s Palace Visit | Sahara Reporters

According to the letter obtained by SaharaReporters, the government cited “flagrant violation of extant provisions of the Traditional Rulers Law Cap 151, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004.”

The Enugu State Government has suspended the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Opi Ogbozalla Autonomous Community in Nsukka Local Government Area, Igwe Eze William Ezugwu, over alleged flagrant violations of the Traditional Rulers Law, including failure to constitute a cabinet, running the community single-handedly, and intimidating and arresting his subjects.

The suspension, contained in a letter dated September 24, 2026, with reference number MCM/CM/685/14, was signed by the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Charles O. C. Egumgbe.

But no sooner had news of the suspension filtered out than social media went into overdrive, with a popular influencer, ‘Sen’ Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, claiming in a Facebook post that Igwe Ezugwu was suspended because he hosted Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in his palace two weeks ago.

The commissioner, however, told SaharaReporters in a phone interview that the suspension had nothing to do with Peter Obi, accusing the influencer of politicising a straightforward administrative action.

According to the letter obtained by SaharaReporters, the government cited “flagrant violation of extant provisions of the Traditional Rulers Law Cap 151, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004.”

The government also accused the monarch of “failure to encourage the setting up of Town Union Executive thereby running Ibagwa Opi Autonomous Community single handedly,” and “persistent conducts inconsistent with section 15 (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j) and (n) of the Traditional Rulers Law, Enugu State.”

The letter further stated: “Furthermore, your acts of intimidation, harassment and arrest of your subjects is particularly disturbing as it has the potential to plunge the community into avoidable crisis thereby jeopardising the huge investment of the State Government in securing lives and properties of Ndi-Enugu.”

The government said the monarch’s “malfeasance are highly unfortunate and in complete deference to my personal interventions and admonitions to you to reconsider your steps.”

“In view of the foregoing and in the exercise of the powers conferred on me as the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs pursuant to sections 10(a) and 10(b) of the Traditional Rulers Law of Enugu State Cap 151, Laws of Enugu State, 2004, you are hereby suspended from office as the Traditional Ruler of Ibagwa Opi Autonomous Community with effect from today, 24th September, 2026,” the letter read.

Shortly after the letter surfaced, ‘Sen’ Chijinkem Ugwuanyi posted on Facebook: “After opposition visit to his palace, HRH Igwe Willy Ezugwu (Eze Ka Eze of Ibagwa-Opi) got suspended by the Enugu State Government, citing violation of laws by the monarch. Remember Mr. Peter Obi visited him two weeks ago at his palace in #Opi_Nsukka.”

The post, accompanied by pictures of the traditional ruler with Peter Obi, quickly went viral, with many users alleging political victimisation.

But Dr. Egumgbe, a founding chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, dismissed the claim as mischievous.

“Why do you people want to politicise everything? You saw a letter and you are telling me about Peter Obi. I am a founding chairman of PDP in Enugu State, 1998/1999. I have a PhD in law. So, please don’t go and infuse a different thing from what you have seen there. There’s another traditional ruler that we have also put another warning letter, those who think that they’re too big. There’s another traditional ruler of Mmaku community that we have warned again, who intimidated the people and locked them up.”

He continued: “So you can go to Opi community and hear what they’re saying. Everything people will say Peter Obi or no Peter Obi. Peter Obi, his sister is married in Igbo Etiti, does he not go to that place? Have they been sacked? So it has no connection with Peter Obi, please. Is that man the only person Peter Obi has seen in Enugu in all his travels? So, it is better you go and ask how the man has been ruling that community.”

The commissioner said he had personally invited the monarch to his office two weeks ago and warned him about the complaints from his community.

“I called him — if you look at the letter I invited him and he came two weeks ago and I told him, look at what your people are saying and he responded saying that he may likely going to resign, that there’s no money in this traditional rulership, they’re selling market and all that,” Egumgbe said.

“His business is not to sell the community market. The town union is responsible. You don’t have people you operate with, you don’t have a cabinet, you don’t have a code of conduct. We don’t have monarchy in Enugu State and South East in general. Is he the only person Peter Obi is seeing? Peter Obi is always in Enugu.”

He also revealed that another traditional ruler in Mmaku community had been issued a warning letter for similar conduct.

“The other man again, we issued a warning letter — another rich man again who said he is rich in Mmaku. That one doesn’t allow Town Union to operate, he oppresses everybody, if you just say anything he oppresses with police. I am a no-nonsense person. The small people under you must exist — not that you have money you use it to oppress everyone around you. A traditional ruler is a father of a community, he should have a listening ear. You don’t dominate, you don’t override,” he stated.