Imo Assembly passes resolution to probe Okorocha

…Suspends 27 council chairmen, councillors

Val Okara, Owerri

The outgoing 8th Imo State House of Assembly on Monday in a resolution mandated the Governor of the state, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, to set up a panel of inquiry to probe the activities of his immediate past governor of the state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

The state lawmakers at the session plenary presided over by the Speaker, Chinedu Offor, placed indefinite suspension on all the chairmen of the 27 local government areas of the state and their councillors and asked them to hand over to the directors of administration in each local council.

The House also cancelled all appointments including boards, agencies, inter-ministerial departments and agencies made by Okorocha from March 11 to May 28, 2019, which they alleged were hurriedly done to set up the new administration.

In a motion sponsored by the member representing Aboh Mbaise state constituency, Mike Iheanetu, the lawmakers urged the new administration in the state to review of all land allocations, land transactions and take inventory of all government assets, property and determine all governments assets looted and infrastructure vandalised by officials of the former administration.

The state lawmakers further resolved to suspend the establishment of all tertiary institutions, as well as review all ownership structure and allocation of funds for their construction.

The House at the plenary passed resolution to review projects undertaken by the former administration, assess ongoing projects, incurred, debts, value and determine which of them to be terminated, reviewed or continue.

According to them, the panel to be constituted should review all debts and financial obligations, and determine whether they were duly incurred and recoveries should be made using relevant agencies.

The state lawmakers also urged the new administration to invite anti-graft agencies where criminal infractions are involved or determined.

In a motion to suspend the local government chairmen and their councilors which was sponsored by member representing Ezinihitte state constituency, Mr. Bruno Ukoha, the lawmakers expressed regret that Council chairmen neglected them by failing to appear when they were summoned by the house.

The house resolved that the chairmen and the councillors should be suspended indefinitely while investigation into the activities of the local government areas is carried out.

They said that the action of the lawmakers was necessitated by the fact that a lot of illegalities took place at the exit of the immediate past administration all with a view to setting up a booby trap for the new administration.

The local chairmen and councillors, led by the Chairman of Association of Imo State Elected Councillors Forum, Godwin Nwankwo, earlier in the day besieged the House of Assembly complex to protest the rumoured suspension of local government chairmen and the councillors.