Imo without substantive Local Government Chairmen

The last time I checked, Imo State, the Eastern Heartland was still earnestly yearning to witness an era where the 27 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, no longer has provision for a Third Tier government otherwise known as ‘LGAs’.

It’s noteworthy that the lingering anomaly has existed for nine years since 2007. 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 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 is transition or caretaker administration whereby certain individuals under the auspices of ‘Transition Committee’ would be empowered to be at the helm of affairs in the LGAs.

We are not unaware of the dangers inherent in such-like practice especially in a democratic system. A transition-committee chairman or councilor, who can be disengaged or asked to leave at anytime, is no doubt surrounded with limitations. 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 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 needs of the people. LG chairman, through the elected councillors, hears the overall views of the electorate with regard to governance. Thus, the third tier government is an intermediary between the citizenry and the state government.

However, this piece was necessitated by the recent commentss 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 LG election if the legal barriers hindering the awaited polls are withdrawn.

According to him, some individuals in the state had filed suits over the local government administration, and so, he feels it was unconstitutional or subjudice to conduct LGA election, vowing to uphold the Rule of Law which his administration had ‘sworn to protect’. He further stated that it was pathetic that the sponsors of the aforesaid legal actions are 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.

If truly there are existing legal barriers, I enjoin the amiable governor to create a harmony between him and the aggrieved. He ought to set up a platform that would bring every warring party together, know the reasons they must withdraw the legal action in 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 short-changed, and that the Constitution isn’t finding the atmosphere friendly; hence, the needful ought to be done. Besides, the governor equally needs to acknowledge that suchlike loophole can mess up all the efforts he had recorded so far since the inception of the 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. Think about it!