Imo: We’re behind suspended chairmen — APC

The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that it is behind the suspended local government chairmen who, last Monday, invaded their former offices across the 27 local councils to take over the secretariats.

The former chairmen said that they acted on the strength of Supreme Court ruling in the case between their counterparts in Ekiti which said that the state government had no powers to sack elected local government chairmen.

APC, in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, FCC Jones Onwuasoanya, said that it’s “saddened by recent developments in our dear State, where the present governor and his agents have shown a most disturbing and ridiculous disdain for the rule of law, democracy and decency, by among other things resisting the long overdue resumption of duty by legitimately elected LGA officials across the 27 LGAs of the State and engaging the services of hooligans from outside the state to unleash mayhem on ordinary Imolites for insisting on respect for rule of law and democracy.

The party accused the state government of “retaining illegally appointed usurpers across the 27 LGA headquarters and using state power to intimidate, harass and stampede law abiding Imolites, especially, members of the All Progressives Congress in the State. This action is responsible for the unfortunate and avoidable death of Hon. Ahamefula Mmaduabuchi, a supervisory councilor in Isu LGA of the State.”

The party reiterated that the local government elections which held in Imo State on the 25th of August, 2018 was held in line with extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Severally Amended) and the Imo State Local Government Administration Law 15, 2000 ( As Amended).

“That this election and all the processes preceding it are in tandem with democratic norms, free, fair and transparent.

“That there were no legal or political impediments to the conduct of that election, and there has not been any Court order dissolving or suspending these duly elected LGA officials.

“That the Supreme Court had reaffirmed the independence of this third tier of government in a case that was brought before it by some illegally sacked LGA officials in Ekiti State. It is important to elucidate further here, that a Supreme Court judgement on issue of constitutionality is binding on all Nigerians and officials of government, as Supreme Court judgements are laws. Therefore, the argument that this referenced Supreme Court judgement only affects Ekiti State government, is not only illogical, but also exposes a dangerous level of ignorance among the present operators of governance in Imo State and their consultants.

“That the elected 27 chairpersons of the various LGAs and 640 out of 645 councillors are bonafide members of the All Progressives Congress and they have the complete support of all the Party organs in the State and at the Federal level.”

“That the Party condemns in clear terms the assassination of one of our members, Hon. Ahamefula Mmaduabuchi, who until his gruesome slaying by suspected thugs was a supervisory councillor in Isu LGA of the State.”