By Okey Alozie
A tsunami has hit the Local government system in Imo State with the Council Chairmen, Vice and Councilors suspended indefinitely by the Imo State House of Assembly.
They were directed to handover everything within their reach as officials of the council to the Director of Administration and General Services, DAGs with immediate effect.
The House members under Rt Hon Chinedu Offor cited several breaches and disrespect to certain aspects including their inability to respond to earlier invitations fraud allegations were also leveled against them.
It would be recalled that before the former Speaker bowed out, the lawmakers had suspended the council chairmen and asked them to handover to their vice.
But they were saved by Ihim. The exit of Ihim has paved way for the lawmakers to go for final onslaught.
Meanwhile, the effected officials numbering over 600 on Monday afternoon besieged the Imo Assembly main entrance and blocked the lawmakers and workers from leaving the Assembly premises. The aggrieved councilors were physically seen throwing stones at the House of Assembly complex and chanting war songs to show their anger over the decision of the lawmakers to suspend them.
The councilors earlier told newsmen that they will support Governor Emeka Ihedioha and the leadership of Imo House of Assembly.
The leader of all the councillors, Rt Hon Uzoma Godwin Nwankwo maintained that lawmakers cannot be lawbreakers, adding that on no account should the state House of Assembly suspend or sack the elected chairmen of LGA and councilors.
He insisted that such act is unconstitutional and should be unacceptable to Imolities. He pleaded that the House should reverse its step and call back the councilors and LGA chairmen immediately.
The leader further pleaded that the new governor of Imo State Chief Emeka Ihedioha should as a matter of urgency intervene into the matter and call the lawmakers to order to avoid problem. “We are duly elected like the House members”, he said.
It could be recalled that the chairmen few months ago were invited to the House and thereafter they were suspended and before their suspension was lifted.
IMHA Workers Jubilate Over Clerk, Deputy’s Removal, Recall of Staff Posted Out
As observed by our reporter on Monday 3rd June 2019 at the Assembly complex, workers were seen rejoicing and exchanging warn greetings while others were openly giving glory to God Almighty for what they claimed as a total liberation and redemption from oppression.
Members of the staff who spoke on the condition of anonymity described the development as a heavenly designed one, stating that the suspension of their oppressor “the Clerk of Imo House of Assembly” is a very big relief to the workers who has been under siege and intimidation.
Revealing further, they confirmed that only members of staff who are free are those who choose to be sycophants, praise singers and gossips trading with fellow innocent staff which led to the ill timed and undeserving transfer of some staff out of the Assembly.
A worried staff who spoke in the same vein disclosed that the Clerk in his smart way balkanized the union in the Assembly chapter, “Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (IPASAN)” and formed his own personal Union Executives whom he has been using for his personal interest by rebuffing all caution from the National PASAN.
Disclosing further, he said that those his boys whom he boldly described as monsters were really thorns in the flesh of their fellow workers, most of them junior officers but given powers to insult senior officers without being questioned whatsoever.
More joy came to the workers when the new Speaker finally directed that the transferred staff be brought back immediately.
