Imo Without Substantive LG Chairmen

IMO WITHOUT SUBSTANTIVE LG CHAIRMEN

     The last time I checked, Imo State – the Eastern Heartland was still earnestly yearning to witness an era where the twenty-seven Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state would boast of substantive chairmen whom are expected to emerge via an electoral process. The unabated quest has made many to presume that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, no longer has provision for a Third Tier government otherwise known as ‘Local Government Council’.

     It’s noteworthy that the lingering anomaly has existed for nine years now ranging from 2007 till date. The immediate past governor of the state Chief Ikedi Ohakim came up with a façade that seemed like an LG election towards the end of his tenure in 2011. The present administration ably led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, having understood the foul play displayed by the former governor, thought it wise to disengage the elected officers who happened to be the product of the said façade as soon as it assumed duty in 2011.

     Since Gov Okorocha’s reign as the Imo number-one citizen, little or none has been heard as regards LG election in the state. Once or twice in the past, the citizens learnt of an arrangement targeted at the awaited electoral process all to no avail, in spite of all the wails from various quarters. Rather than substantive/elected caucus, what Imolites have invariably been witnessing at the local government level is transition or caretaker administration whereby some certain individuals under the auspices of ‘Transition Committee’ would be empowered to be at the helm of affairs in the respective LGAs.

     We are not unaware of the dangers inherent in suchlike practice especially in a democratic system like ours. A transition-committee chairman or councilor, who can be disengaged or asked to leave at anytime, is no doubt surrounded with limitations. There’s certain limits to which he/she is bound to operate as long as his/her reign lasts. Such administrator is obviously acting directly in line with the directive of the governor who he sees as his boss; suffice it to say that he’s equally one of the aides of the governor.

     The Nigerian Constitution wasn’t daft when it considered creating a provision for the third tier government. This is the government that directly touches the lives of the electorate; it’s the government that understands the true need of the people. An LG chairman, through the elected councillors, hears the overall views of the electorate in regard to governance. Thus, the third tier government is an intermediary between the citizens and the state government.

     However, this piece was necessitated by the recent comment made by Gov Okorocha with regard to the long awaited LG election. Few weeks ago during a parley between the governor and Imo based journalists, the number-one citizen categorically revealed that he would only conduct election for the Local Government Councils if the legal barriers hindering the awaited polls are withdrawn by their sponsors or plaintiffs.

     According to the governor, some individuals in the state had filed suits against him over the local government administration in the state, thus he was of the view that it was unconstitutional or an insubordination to conduct an election regarding the LGAs with a view to upholding the Rule of Law which his administration had ‘vowed to protect’. He went further to state that it was pathetic that those who were sponsors of the aforesaid legal actions happened to be the people persuading him to conduct the election.

      If I’m bound to be objective in my analysis, I would state unequivocally that if the governor genuinely wishes to conduct the awaited polls, he’s required to take all the needed actions toward ensuring that the election is duly conducted. Needless to say; the above excuse ought not to be regarded as a tangible reason for the ongoing inconsequential delay. We must endeavour to call a spade a spade whenever we’re leading, for posterity sake.

     If truly there are existing legal barriers, I enjoin the amiable governor to create a harmony between him and the aggrieved minds. He ought to set up a platform that would bring every warring party together, therein let them know the reason they must withdraw the legal suits for the interest of the state at large. Since the suits in question were filed over LG election, the plaintiffs wouldn’t hesitate to withdraw them if given an obvious and genuine reason to do so, or if they are told that the polls would be conducted thereafter without further ado.

     As a Constitution and Civil Rights activist, I want to remind the governor that the people’s rights are being shortchanged, and that the Nigerian Constitution isn’t finding the atmosphere friendly; hence, the needful ought to be done headlong. Besides, the governor equally needs to acknowledge that suchlike loophole is liable to mess up all the commendable efforts he had recorded so far since the inception of the Rescue Mission Administration. We can’t afford to continue robbing Peter in order to pay Paul.

     Nine consecutive years without substantive or elected LG Chairmen is seriously telling on the state, just to say the least. Hence, we are henceforth expected to count our teeth with our tongues. Frankly, if I’m asked to tender a scorecard, I would say that Gov Rochas Okorocha’s administration is second to that of Late Dr Sam Mbakwe in the history of Imo State; but owing to this very lapse, I might be tempted to reserve my comment if asked to do so. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

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