Imo: Okorocha Takes Over LGAs, As Imo Govt’s. IMC Is Sacked; APC Congratulates Them, Seeks Cooperation

By Adesina Soyooye

A major political shift took place in Imo state Wednesday afternoon.

An alleged faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, loyal to Former Governor Rochas Okorocha, has taken control of the 27 Local Government Councils in the State.

Okorocha had in 2018, suddenly held election into the LGAs, something he never did for years.

The election was meant to help  in consolidating the chances of his son-in-law Uche Nwosu, to win the APC Governorship primary.

But both Okorocha and Nwosu were shocked out of the Primary by  a combination of Senator Hope Uzodinma and others.

The Government of former Governor Emeka Ihedioha had tried to push them out, but we’re restrained by the law.

When Uzodinma succeeded him, he suspended them,  appointment, and swore-in an Interim Management Committee with Chairmen and Councillors for each of the Council Areas.

The suspended Chairmen and Councillors went to Court, challenging their sack.

On Wednesday, 1st July, a Federal High Court, sitting in Owerri,   declared the suspension of the  elected 2018 Local government  Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Councillors of the 27 Local Government Areas  illegal.

The Hon. Justice Ringim, also, sacked  all the Interim Management Committee members of the local government appointed by Uzodinma,  and asked the suspended local government officers back to work with immediate effect.

The Judge, also, ordered the Revenue And Mobilization Fiscal Allocation Commission (RAMFAC) to stop further release of funds to the Imo State Government until the duly elected Local government Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Councillors take their seats fully at the local government council Areas.

Even though the government in Imo is an APC Government, and the reinstated people were elected under APC, it is seen as a major victory for Okorocha, as the thinking is that the reinstated officers would be loyal to him.

But for the Imo State APC, it is a win-win situation as it is like an “us-us” situation.

The party has congratulated the reinstated officials, asking them to work harmoniously with the government.

In a statement, the Publicity Secretary of the Imo APC, Onwuasoanya F.C.C. said that the party received with gladness, the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, which nullified the appointment of the Interim Management Committees across the 27 LGAs and ordered the immediate reinstatement of the democratically elected officials at our LGAs.

“We congratulate these chairmen and councillors, who incidentally are all members of our great Party. We concede that the governor, who is also a leader of our Party, was wrongly advised to interrupt the Constitutionally guaranteed tenure of these Chairmen and councillors, and we expect that with this rightly delivered judgement, the governor will collaborate with these honorable Party men and women to deliver the dividends of democracy to Imo people and as well further strengthen our Party at the grassroots.

“We expect that these Chairmen will put whatever grievances they may have over their erroneous dissolution behind them and work harmoniously with the State government to ensure that our Party’s progressive governance ideals which convinced the people to vote for them  are implemented”

Responding to journalists in Abuja, the Deputy Chairman of Mbaitoli LGA and Chairman of Association of Local Government Vice Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGVON), Hon. Godstime Chukwubuikem Samuel, thanked God Almighty for the victory and applauded the Judiciary for standing by the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Hon. Godstime affirmed that the local government chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors will work smoothly with the Senator Hope Uzodinma led state government for the good of Ndi Imo and Imo state.

The counsel to Imo state Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Barr. Ezeoba Maduabuchi thanked the court for upholding justice.