It was like a carnival at the headquarter of Aboh Mbaise LGA as PDP supporters and staff of the Local Government gathered to usher in their office. It was also a drama at the gate when men of the Civil Defence at the gate informed the jubilant crowd that the Former TC Chairman, Mr Tony Atudumere had at about 8.30am rushed into the premises, ordered workers who had reported for the day’s work out of their offices before he personally locked the gates and left with the keys.
When reporters several calls to the Former TC Chairman for his reactions were not picked, a strong worded text message was sent to him. In his reaction to that text message, the TC Chairman called the reporter on phone from his hidout stating that he instructed the gates to be locked following directives from the State Governor, who was at that time in far away Houston Texas for the World Igbo Congress, that all the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo state. Mr Anthony Atudume, the Former TC Chairman, rebuffed every question he was asked by the reporter bothering on what legal power he has to instruct the gates to be locked or to continue parading himself as a council Chairman when he had already been declared illegal since July 5, 2012 by theAppeal Court. While at the gate chanting solidarity songs waiting for the gates to be opened, the DPO of Aboh Mbaise, the SSS coordinator and his Civil Defence counterpart arrived. The DPO, Mr Amadi and his team said they have come to ensure a peaceful and orderly takeover of the elected officers of the Local Government in line with the appeal court Judgement and directives from their headquarters for them to ensure the safety of lives and properties at the Local Government. The DPO who decried the illegal closure of the council gates by the defunct TC Chairman without due consultation ordered that the gates should be opened to allow the rightful Chairman and Councillors gain access into the Council Hall.
As the chanting of PDP power ranted the air the Chairman and the Councillors preceded straight to their offices without any resistance. Some of the staff of the Local Government who were still around to welcome the re – instated leaders spoke on condition of anonymity. They stated that they reported to as usual but were forced out of the premises by the former TC Chairman. They also said they were ignorant of any 3 – day work free at the LGAs. The staff expressed joy and willingness to work with the elected officers as workers of the Local Government have suffered so much under the Former TC Chairman.
Addressing the crowd, the Vice Chairman Hon Ugwo, thanked everybody present for their support and pledged that the people of Aboh Mbaise will not be disappointed. He decried the infrastructural decay at the LGA and the neglect of the welfare of Local Government workers by the illegal Transitional Council. He promised to look into the welfare of workers and to correct some anomalies done at the LGA by the State Government. He also thanked the security agencies for their patriotic role in ensuring a peace re – instatement in accordance with the rule of law. Hon. Ugwo, who pledged to have a mutual working relationship with the State Government called on the State Government under Gov. Rochas to respect the division of labour between the 2nd and 3rd tiers of government by allowing each to carry out their responsibilities within their jurisdiction in line with their party manifestos and their electoral promises hence they were all elected by the people.
On the other hand, the Councillors had a brief committee session where they resolved to be focused in delivering democracy dividends to their constituents. The councillors called on all sons and daughters of Aboh Mbaise to support the re – instated elected council members to succeed. Speaking on behalf of the Councillors, the leader of Council Hon. Victoria Nwachukwu called on the State Government to return the Mess and other items forcefully taken from them. She called on the former TC Chairman, to return all government properties in this custody without delay.
In his own reaction, the Aboh Mbaise LGA PDP Chairman, Nze Anselm Ikwu, commended all party leaders and members for their solidarity and peaceful conduct in ensuring that the rule of law takes its course. He promised that the PDP will continue to provide good leadership in the Local Government and called on other parties to be partners in progress.
Some party leaders also spoke, Chief Richmond Osuji, SA to the Deputy Speaker Federal House of Representatives on Constituency matters, expressed joy that the Court of Appeal vindicated the views of right thinking Imo people that Gov. Okorocha’s hijack of LGA and removal of elected Chairmen were illegal. Chief Osuji a former TC Chairman advised the re – instated council leaders to work with everybody at the State and Local Government levels as they are all Imo citizens. He however, decried the tendency of Gov. Rochas to play God knowing that his tenure as State Governor is temporary. He commended the security agencies and party faithful for their comportment.
Engr. Don C. Njoku, the Imo state coordinator for Goodluck sup[port Group and a State Executive of PDP commended the Court of Appeal for the sound Judgement while calling on the security agencies to give their maximum support to the re – instated council chairmen and members to ensure there is peace in the local government.
The chairman and his councillors had brief security meeting with the security agencies on the way forward. Meanwhile, work is expected to commence normally as the re – instated chairmen settle down to work.
