Despite complaints by elected Chairmen and councilors in Imo state that the recent appointment of Sole Administrators for the 27 local government in the state by the state Governor, the Imo State House of Assembly yesterday went ahead to screen the 27 appointees ahead of inauguration.
The 27 appointed Sole Administrators were spotted at the Assembly Complex where the reportedly had audience with the screening committee led by Prince (Barr) Obinna Okwara representing Nkwerre State Constituency.
According to our Assembly source, a protest letter was forwarded to the Speaker by ALGON that they appointment by the Governor and consequent screening of nominees for the LGA job is a breach of Appeal Court proceedings.
Speaker Uwajumogu however ignored the letter as the appointees underwent screening. With express approval from the House, the stage is set to swear the SOLADS in for the council job.
Meanwhile, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State Chapter, yesterday strongly opposed the appointment of Sole Administrators in the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State by Governor Rochas Okorocha. The group said it is wrong for the Imo State Government, to appoint SOLADS, when their tenure of 3 years has not been exhausted.
Speaking to Journalists in Owerri, Chief (Mrs) Rubby Emele, Imo State Chairman of ALGON, recalled that the Court of Appeal, Owerri had over ruled the ruling of the state high court presided over by the Chief Justice of Imo State, Justice B.U Njemanze, which stated that they are duly LGA Chairmen of the 27 LGAs in Imo. She regretted that the Okorocha administration has employed all manner of tactics to undermine the implementation of the judgment by withdrawing principal officers of the Local Governments such as the DAGS, the Treasurers, etc.
She explained that despite the enforcement of the ruling by the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation, the present Administration has continuously frustrated them from functioning as elected LGA Chairmen. She said based on the ruling of the Court of Appeal, it is illegal for Okorocha to appoint SOLADS or Transition Chairmen at the LGs. Emele who was flanked by other Council Chairmen of the 27 LGS, called on the law enforcement agencies not to allow Okorocha eject them from office through forceful means, adding that the Imo Governor should be held responsible if any ALGON member is hurt.
Also speaking, the Secretary of Imo ALGON, Barr Enyinnaya Onuegbu advised Governor Okorocha to respect the laws of the land and not to mutilate it by obeying the Court of Appeal ruling.
He went down memory lane to highlight the legal brick bats between ALGON and the state government, which indicates that they are the duly elected Chairmen of the Local Governments in the state and are yet to end their tenure.
Onuegbu called on the President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to save Imo state from constitutional rape by Governor Rochas Okorocha.
He stressed that Governor Okorocha should allow the judicial process to run full circle, describing his appointment of SOLADS as contemptuous of the court. He maintained that their tenure of office is three years, contrary to government claims that it is two years.
