Ihedioha sacks LG chairmen, councillors, dissolves boards

Val Okara, Owerri

Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo state has approved the dismissal of council chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors and political appointees of the local governments in the state.

The suspension was contained in the instrument signed by the governor, pursuant to the recommendation made to him by the Imo state House of Assembly.

This is pursuant also, to the provisions of Sections 4, 5, and 6 of the Local Government Administration (amendment) Law, 2019 and Section 73 (3) of the Imo state Local Government Administration Law No 15 of 2, 000 (as amended) and all other laws enabling him.

The governor has set up interim management committees to manage the affairs of each local government for six months.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Chibuike Onyeukwu stated that the directors of administration and general services of each local government have been directed to take over the management of the councils, pending the confirmation of interim management committees by the state assembly.

In a similar development, the governor also approved the dissolution and removal of the chairman and members of the Imo state Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC).

This is following a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of the state assembly members passed on June 6, 2019 seeking their removal from office.

The action is also in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 (1) of the Imo state Independent Electoral Commission Law and all other extant laws of the state.

The commission will be reconstituted in due course to put in place the machinery for conducting credible elections into the local governments.

The governor further directed that the affected officers to handover to the most senior civil servant in the commission.