Anxiety, confusion, uncertainty in Imo local councils amidst court order

The last has not been heard about the ongoing battle between the present local government interim management committee members in Imo State and the former 27 local government Chairmen under the Rochas Okorocha’s administration who had threatened to return to office yesterday November 30th 2020.

As the threat made the rounds in the local tabloids and social media, the Imo State Attorney general and commissioner for justice Barrister Cyprian Akolisa issued a statement where he described the threat as misrepresentation of facts, and false claims that are in total disregard for the proper legal status.

The attorney general recalled that in 2011, Chief Rochas Okorocha as governor without regard for Democratic principles and practice and in total disrespect for the wish and desire of the people of Imo State, dissolved elected local government chairmen and councilors in the 27 local government areas in the state.

The dissolved Local Government Chairmen proceeded to the High Court and in a landmark judgment the Imo State High Court presided over by the Chief Judge of Imo State Justice BA. Njemanze nullified the said dissolution and upheld the right of the Chairmen to remain in office and complete there tenure.

This judgment and consequential orders were not obeyed by the Rochas Anayo Okorocha administration leading to the matter going before the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal in a resounding judgment declared that the Governor of Imo State had no right to dissolved democratically elected Councils and that the Action of the then Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha was illegal, null and void and of no effect.

According to him all efforts, representations, pleas and admonitions by Imo Citizens to the Governor to respect the judgment of the court of Appeal were rejected by the governor. The Chairmen again took their matter before the Supreme Court wherein the matter is still pending.

While the case was pending at the Supreme Court and without any proper primaries, without any legal resolution of the case of the dissolved chairmen, and to the surprise and consternation of Imo people, Chief Rochas Anayo Okorocha in his usual unconventionality and disregard for legal principles brazenly selected some individuals and declared them Local Government Chairmen against the electoral laws of Imo State.

The purported election was conducted a few months to his leaving office despite the fact that he ran the councils in Imo State for complete 7 years and a few months without any elected Local Government Councils.

On assumption of office the Ihedioha administration on the resolution of the House of Assembly and in accordance with the provisions of the Imo State Local Government Administration Law dissolved the illegally selected Chairmen imposed as elected Local government Chairmen. The said Chairmen immediately filed several law suits in the Imo State High Court challenging their removal.

They also filed a suit at they Federal High Court, Owerri challenging the appointment of Caretaker Chairmen by the Ihedioha administration.

On assumption of office the Hope Uzodimma government removed the Interim Management Committee set up by Ihedioha while awaiting the outcome of the cases filed by the Rochas imposed Chairmen pending at the High Court and the Federal High Court.

However the Court of Appeal, Owerri ordered a Stay of Execution in respect of the judgment obtained by the Rochas Anayo Okorocha imposed Chairmen against the Ihedioha Caretaker Committee at the Federal High Court, Owerri.

He further notice that governor Uzodimma’s Administration has not dissolved any elected Local Government Council in Imo State adding that the administration as a law abiding government will obey the final decision of the Courts of our land.

He said that the government will neither be pressured nor blackmailed into succumbing to the antics of any person on matters legitimately before the Courts.

Just last Friday November 27, 2020 an Owerri high court declared the election of the 27 LGA chairmen conducted bye-election ex governor Rochas Okorocha on the 25th day of August 2018, six months before his tenure as null and void and of no effect whatsoever. Delivering the Indgement, the presiding juge Hon Justice E.F Njemanze, Ordered all the former 27 LGA chairmen to return to ,the state government, all salaries and allowances paid to them before they were dissolved.

The court said they occupied those positions illegally because their elections were conducted contrary to the extant electoral laws of Imo state. Aggrieved by the Sham elections Innocent Nmezi and others had brought an action against the state government, the state electoral commission and the 27 local government chairmen purportedly elected by the state government under Rochas Okorocha. It is not yet clear whether the former chairman will make good their threat or obey the high court order.