No matter the politico-engineering cum experiment embarked upon by the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the only solution to the present socio- economic quagmire faced by Imo populace lies on democratization of the grass roots; which is by conducting elections in the twenty seven Local Government Areas in the State.
Since Governor Okorocha assumed office as the Chief Executive of the State, he has appointed various Committees and Sole Administrators to take charge of the affairs of the LGA’s and all have ended in disaster as the present sorry situation of the LGAs can attest.
The LGAs in the State have not added any iota of success beyond what it was and has remained since 2011.Rather than development, the LGA Headquarters have turned to abandoned structures, with over-grown weeds, and the LGA workers loitering around aimlessly every day without assignments to carry out, and in the circumstance become redundant , idle and lazy.
Since inception of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, this is the first time Imo LGAs have stayed for four years without elected Council Chairmen and Councillors.
During the regime of Dr Achike Udenwa, he conducted Local Government Elections twice within his eight years reign. He even added the Development Centres, which was 44 in number, with Coordinators and members. This was to take Government closer to the masses.
His successor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim in four years of his administration conducted Local Government election once.
However, after four years in office the incumbent administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has not shown any sign that he would follow the footsteps of his predecessors in the area of Council election.
Instead, one of the major decisions taken by Okorocha immediately he was sworn-in in 2011 was to dissolve the former elected Executives in the Councils.
Till date, Okorocha has not conducted any election in the Councils, while the chairman of the State Electoral Commission and his Commissioners take their salaries every month, without rendering any service to Imo tax payers who pay them.
Gov Okorocha has cited many reasons why his administration cannot hold LGA elections in the State. The latest reason is that there are litigations in court stalling the conduct of LGA elections. In order words, unless the litigations in court are exhausted, Okorocha cannot conduct elections in Imo LGAs.
But pray, when did the Okorocha administration begin to obey court orders and follow due process? How many judgements against the administration has he obeyed since 2011? Has it complied with even those ordering the State to pay compensations and due rights to some individuals and organization in the State?
How come it is only the Local Government litigation that the Owelle Okorocha administration is respecting to the letter among the whole lot in the courts? Let me state here that Okorocha can go ahead with LGA elections and heavens will not fall, because it is to the betterment of the larger population of Imo State.
But how come he went ahead to dissolve the elected Councils in 2011 without retrospect to the constitution, and judiciary only to now follow “due process” when it comes to conducting LGA elections in Imo State after four years in office?
With the present hard socio-economic situation of Imo citizens, the only remedy is to conduct the much- awaited Council polls.
Holding Council elections in Imo State now will reduce the choking scenario pervading the Imo State Government House, Owerri, where boisterous energies that would have been channelled to the Council Areas are decipated in Owerri by loitering youths crowding around the various Squares constructed by the Okorocha administration.
Every Government in the world is installed by the people and for the people, through the Leader who holds power in trust of the masses. That is the reason every Governor or President swears an oath not to allow his personal interest over shadow his sense of judgement when dealing with the citizens.
In this regard, Governor Okorocha should remove all the obstacles that are hindering the conduct of LGA elections in the State. If it means settling with the last elected Council Executives by paying them whatever Government owes them, it is feasible as resolving the matter will return life to the now moribund LGAs. After all, the remunerations owed these past Council Executives and elected councillors are statutory payment and MUST be paid to them someday by the same Imo State Government, even after Okorocha.
Why then would Okorocha stall the development of the larger population of Imo people because of ego war between the him and some few elected Imo citizens whose assignments were truncated by an elected personality who will leave that office someday too? Is it not better that this matter is settled for Imo State to enjoy dividends of democracy?
Whether anybody likes it or not, the hand-picked Sole Administrators and their Committee members cannot engender development in the twenty seven Local Government Areas in the State like the elected representatives would have, no matter their shortfalls.
Many pundits had advanced that Okorocha is afraid of conducting LGA elections because it will reduce his penchant in tampering with grass root funds.
But I disagree. The only thing that can stop Governors from “fingering” Council funds is when a legislation is enacted to give LGAs powers to control their funds.
Even Udenwa and Ohakim had control of the LGA funds, because they controlled the LGA chairmen, who were members of their political parties. But the difference then was that these past Governors believed in allowing the “people” control their funds. But not Okorocha, who wants the entire “pot” put under his table at Douglas House, Owerri to the detriment of the poor masses in the villages, whose lives are being decimated on the altar of self aggrandisement.
But what Governor Okorocha has forgotten is that any development recorded by the LGAs during his regime will be to his own good as posterity will give him a large potion in Imo history.
Recently, the Governor released a new list of those to head Imo LGAs with members of their Committees. A closer look at the list shows that Okorocha has not yet finished with experimenting with Imo LGAs and its funds, and may never conduct election until he leaves office after eight years
In the list include some names like Sir Jude Ejiogu (Secretary to Imo State Government) Chief Uche Nwosu(Chief of Staff) Rt Hon Benji Uwajumogu (Former Speaker to Imo House of Assembly) etc.
What socio-political experiment is Okorocha trying to wrought on Imo Councils by appointing men and women who are already up to the neck with assignments, into the LGA Councils? When will Ejiogu, Nwosu and co have the time to exhaust their tight schedules in Owerri before heading to Nkwerre and Owerri North LGAs to go through the Books of the LGAs?
Pray, would these people be doing two jobs for Imo State on one salary? Does it mean that the Governor cannot find other men of integrity with qualified pedigree to man these positions and allow these other people to concentrate on their already powerful jobs? This is total confusion in Governance.
For Okorocha to conduct elections in the LGAs is the easiest way to create jobs for Imo Citizens, than the “Industry, Industry” mantra, which may take many years to materialize, when the number of unemployed Imo people would have doubled.
LGA election was the route Udenwa and Ohakim exploited in reducing tension in the State, through creation of Jobs for the teeming Jobless youths reduce crime, build political structures, and take the development of the State to the grass roots and dividends of democracy to the masses.
Council elections in Imo State will create genuine jobs for over two hundred thousand Imo Graduates. You may ask how? Twenty seven Council Chairmen and their Deputies, the Councillors, the Supervisory Councillors, Personal Assistants to these elected officers, and some other small appointments in the councils.
No matter how we condemn the elections that brought in the LGA elected officers, or which political parties that won such elections, what is non debatable is that they are all sons and daughters of Imo State who have children, relations and associates they help every month after collecting their salaries. This recirculates funds in the State and boosts economy.
Can anybody compare the State of Local Government Head Quarters in Imo State now to what they used to be in 2011? It does not matter if Okorocha’s political party, the All Progressive Congress APC clears the election; let him conduct the election.
What is obtaining in Imo LGAs now is like President Muhammadu Buhari appointing Sole Administrators in the States and you expect that there would be developments. Had Okorocha conducted Council elections since he assumed office, the rapid development that would have been recorded in Imo State now would have shocked alot of people.
Take or leave it, the engine room of the States is the LGAs. Though the Council Chairmen cannot be separated from the corruption that is second skin to Nigerian politicians, but some of them do well in office.
I still remember the Stadium constructed by Chief Uche Diogu when he was LGA Chairman of Isu LGA. Late Chief Livy Okoroafor initiated the Electrification of Ngor Okpala as LGA Chairman. The Utral Modern Secretariat Hon Mayor Eze built in Orlu LGA is still there.
Let Okorocha conduct LGA election so that the Imo masses can hold their elected representatives liable for whatever money that is not accounted for. The experiment should stop. Four years without elected officers is enough for restless Imo masses who are now counting their losses and gains since 2011.
Does it not sound ridiculous that a State like Imo State has operated for four years without elected representatives at the grass roots? We may say that it is not only in Imo such thing is happening. But every State has its peculiar nature.
Imo is a republican State, and Okorocha must not abandon what his predecessors started and sustained, and take the masses for fools.
Even though there is economic depression everywhere, but why was it that that of Imo seems to dominate the head-lines? The reason is because the hardship in the State is unimaginable. A large percentage of Imo people depend on Government for Economic survival, especially the LGAs. Today, most Imo people are relocating to other States like Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Cross River, even Anambra.
The Governor should open the economic and social space by liberating the concentration of power only to himself alone. It is not fair that Imo only functions when the Governor is around, and is grounded when he travels out of the State.
With functioning Local Government Areas, the masses can reach out to their elected Council Chairmen for their immediate problems and head to Owerri the State Capital, when their Chairmen cannot handle their problems. Why would the masses troop to the Governor for things as little as presentation of Traditional Rulers, which entirely should be under the purview of LGAs?
If Okorocha conducts LGA elections today, he would have expanded his political horizon, as he would have made many people in far flung LGAs like Ngor Okpala, Obowo, Oguta etc. This was what Udenwa achieved through his eight years in office.
Despite Udenwa’s dwindling political profile, he still has die- hards in all the twenty seven LGAs, sixteen years after. But will Okorocha exhibit statesmanship by jettisoning selfish political engineering that fades away as quickly as quick sand? His political future is in his hands though, but Imo people need LGA election because the State ought to exist after Okorocha, just as he met the State after others who had ruled it. Imo State is greater than every individual, just as no individual has monopoly of knowledge.
