A clearer view of why the administration of Senator Hope Uzodinma won’t allow the 2018 elected council Chairmen and Councillors take charge again after the Federal High Court in Owerri returned them to office has emerged.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court two weeks ago ruled in favour of the LGA Chairmen elected in 2018 but sacked in 2019 by the Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha administration.
But since the Court ruled, the Chairmen were yet to take over.
Giving reasons why they were not allowed in by the Uzodinma administration, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Imo State, Barr C.O.C Akaolisa in a statement has given reasons why the state government has decided on the matter.
According to the state government in a statement tagged “Court of Appeal Order of Status Quo made in the matter of Imo Local Government Councils” Akaolisa states as follows;
“That the Federal High Court Owerri by judgment delivered by the Presiding Justice Ringim upheld the reliefs claimed by the purportedly elected former Local Government Council Chairmen under1 the Governor Rochas Okorocha administration against the interim Chairmen appointed by Former Governor Emeka Ihedioha.
“That while delivering the judgment, the Court made an Order Setting Aside the appointment of the Interim Management Committee appointed by Governor Hope Uzodimma even though the 1MC Members were not joined nor any relief brought against them in the suit before the Federal High Court.
“That the judgment and order of the Federal High Court are now subject of an Appeal to the Court of Appeal by the government of Imo State; and the Local Government Councils.
“That the Government of Imo State and the Local Government
Councils of Imo State also filed an Application for an Injunction restraining the Plaintiffs from entering the offices of the Local Government Chairmen in Imo State and or the Local Government pending the determination of the substantive Appeal. They also sought An Order of injunction restraining the plaintiffs, Respondents therein from given effect or purporting to give effect or continuing to give effect to the judgment and order of the federal high court in suit No.FHC/OW/CS/131/2019 pending the determination of the appeal against the judgment.
“By the pendency of these applications the Okorocha purportedly elected local government chairmen as law abiding citizens ought to respect the rule of law and allow the court to determine the application pending before it.
Further to the above, the 27 local government council chairmen dissolved by Rochas Okorocha in 2011 whose case is pending at the supreme court applied to the court of Appeal for leave to appeal against the judgment of the federal high court as interested persons and obtained an order from the court of Appeal that all parties in the matter of the local government councils in Imo State should maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the matter before the court of Appeal.
By the order of the court of Appeal all parties viz,
“The purportedly elected 27 Local Government Council Chairmen by the Rochas Administration and dissolved by Ihedioha in 2019.
“The elected Local Government Council Chairmen dissolved by Rochas
Okorocha in 2011.
“The Interim Management Committee appointed by Governor Hope
Uzodimma in April, 2020.
“The Government of Imo State are to remain in their present position pending the hearing of the matter before the court of appeal.
“Any attempt by any of the parties to forcefully or through self help change the present position of any of the parties against the order directing the maintenance of status quo will amount to an act of contempt of the court of Appeal, a disrespect for the order of the Court of Appeal and a disregard for the rule of law.
the State Government has taken the part of due regard for the rule of law by appealing against the judgment of the Federal High expected that other parties will not, take the laws into their hands by orchestrating any act capable of causing a breakdown of law and order the state.
“All parties are therefore enjoined to await the decision of the Court of
Appeal in the matter while maintaining their present positions (Status Quo) until me 20th day of July when the matter comes up before the court of
Appeal for hearing.
