Recently, the local media inImoStatehave been awash with stories of a divison in theImoStatechapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON). The present ALGON are made up of elected Local Government Chairmen, mainly of the PDP inImoStatewho have been engaged in a running battle with the Rochas Okorocha Administration.
For historical purposes, it is imperative readers of this colunm are reminded that the LGA chairmen were kicked out of office by Governor Okorocha on June 8, 2011, an act that has led to ceaseless exchange of political and legal fireworks between the sacked Council Chairmen and the Okorocha Adminstration.
The battle has raged on for a long period as most observers of the sitaution will attest to the fact that the face off has put the local Government councils in a sorry and comatose condition. I wrote on this page last week that the Local Governments in Imo are ‘dead’. In otherwords, it is in tatters as a first time visitor to the Councils will have no difficulty to conclude that there is no adminstration in the local Governments of Imo State.
While I align to the postulations to a School of Thought that says that the sacked Chairmen have the right to challenge the decison of Okorocha to sack them from office before the expiration of their tenure, it is also imperative one looks at the disposition of some members of Imo ALGON who recently constituted themselves into a Peace Commitee.
According to Sam Aka, leader of the Commitee, the overall objective of the group which it claims has 14 members in its kitty, is to work hand in gloves with the APGA led government in the State to ensuring the return of peace in the local Governments. He added that the condition of the Local Governments are pitiable and only a political solution rooted on the desire for peace rather than the ongoing legal brick bats can salvage the the third tier of government in the State.
For me, the move is not a wrong one. It is not an alien initiative either. In industralized democracies, the quest for peace is an indispenable component applied in resolving conflicts and disagreements. Most crisis with political undertones have been amicably resolved on the round table. The peace the world enjoys today originated from peaceful approach to turbulent issues .
I will not bore readers with instances or examples of conflicts and wars between between nations that was resolved through the instrument of peace. Therefore, there is nothing absolutely wrong if some members of ALGON deem it fit to resort to the roundtable in search for a peaceful resolution of the crisis tearing the Local Governments inImoStateapart.The peace move by some members of ALGON is not out of place. Neither is it not realisable nor feasible.
And it is strange the leadership of ALGON in the State is loosing sleep over the initiative by throwing banana peels on the path of the commitee for it to slip and its initiative to crumble. Much as I believe in the competence of the law courts to put an end to the lingering crisis between Imo ALGON and the State Government, there is need to encourage the Okorocha Adminstration to reciprocate the hand of friendship extended to it by the peace commitee of ALGON.
Democracy encourages dialogue, it is only a war monger and one who dislikes peace in preference for crisis that will spurn or rather put a cog in the wheel of achieveing lasting peace in Imo Local Governments.
I am aware that previous attempts by ALGON to broker peace with Okorocha on the feud broke down in the past because the ALGON leadership accused the APGA led government of showing inconsistencies in resolving the feud. This does not imply that extra or additional efforts by any well meaning and concerned Imolite to resolve the matter should be thrown overboard or discarded. The quest to attain or achive peace in any society is never realised in a day. It is a long and tortous process. The only propelling factor that propels such peaceful initiatives is the willingness and determination of such peacemakers to continue on the path of peace. Even the Bible encourages peace and this is why its says ‘Blessed Are The Peacemakers, For They Shall See The Kingdom of God’
On this premise, I appeal to the ALGON leadership in the State that are averse to the intentions of some of its members who have chosen to dailogue as a basis to re claim their mandates freely given to them by the people of Imo State in the August 8th , 2010 local Government elections not to misunderstand the importance for peace to reign in the Local Governments. Much as the courts remain the temple of justice where the Council Chairmen can truly find justice in the ongoing feud, it does not rule out the option of a political solution to the crisis as advocated by the Sam Aka Peace Commitee.
ImoStatebelongs to us all. No genunine effort to ensure the State remains on the path of peace should be discouraged. No matter our political leanings and differences, irrespective of our perception to the entire saga, there is no better way to put the State on the lane of development and progress, rather than to embrace the option of peace.
Much as I have critically condemned the illegal sack of the Council Chairmen by the APGA led Adminstration in Imo, it is does not mean that Okorocha might not be averse to extra peace overtures to end the face off with the council chairmen. No matter the depth of disdain harboured by the ALGON leadership towards the Okorocha Adminstration over its refusal to allow them (Council Chairmen) go back to the councils as elected Chairmen, it does not mean that applying a political solution to the matter is baseless or useless.
This is why the peace initiative put forward by the ALGON peace commitee should not be spurned. And It is irritating to hear that some forces in the PDP inImoStateare averse to the peace initiative. And this tends to confirm the fears of the peace seeking Chairmen who suspect that some of its members are feeding fat on the lingering imbroglio. Aka had told journalists last week that those opposed to the moves of his commitee are playthings of a prominent politician in the State and a high ranking member of the Federal House of Representatives from the State who wants to forcefully convert the Chairmen to his political soldiers in his quest to govern the State in 2015.
Much as this may sound like a political folktale or simply put a rumour, the atitude of ALGON members opposed to the peace moves justifies this assumption. It gives the story credence and element of truth.The ‘body language’ of the ALGON leadership in the State already strenghtens these claims. And it is strange that the ALGON leadership have not deemed it important to either dispel this assumption harboured by some of its members. This is capable of eroding confidence of members and at the same time swell the bowels of suspicion and disunity in the association. And these factors can turn to manure that will nourish discontent among members of Imo ALGON. And they should note that discontent breeds disenchantment and divison and if not properly managed can lead to disunity. This is what is staring Imo ALGON on the face!
At the same time, the leadership of Imo ALGON should note that the battle to reclaim the LG seats is not the sole perorgative of a few in Imo ALGON, it is of immense concern and interest to any Imolite who dislikes acts of unconstitutionality which the present Adminstration has displayed.
Therefore, i call on the Emele/Onuegbu leadership of Imo ALGON to encourage whatever genuine effort that will help their cause. The option of peace as advocated by some of its members remain a viable one. It may turn out to be the panacea to end the feud. I urge them to take into consideration the pain and anguish which some of the Chairmen have suffered in the cause of reclaimimg their mandates.
The Courts which they have turned to for justice is commendable, but they should note that a only ‘political medicine’ can cure a ‘political disease’ . I humbly submit.
