Chairmen and councilors elected by the former Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha’s government in the twenty seven Local government areas in 2018, but suspended by the Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha administration, have been advised to shelve their planned forceful takeover of the council headquarters on Monday, November 30, 2020, in the interest of peace.
Giving the advice in Ngor Okpala, yesterday, while interfacing with newsman, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from Ngor Okpala Local government area, Chief Bona Nwoke Dike, pleaded with them, especially the suspended Chairman of Ngor Okpala Local government area, Hon. Chinwe Obinna, not to take the laws into their hands or breach the peace of the state by such move/ stressing that his home Local government area, Ngor Okpala, has been and will remain a peaceful place with its peace-loving people.
Chief Bona Nwoke Dike, an apostle of politics without bitterness, while commending them for initiating the court processes, further advised them to allow the processes to be exhausted as any move contrary to that would be seen as an affront on the government.
He recalled that when the chairmen and councilors were suspended by Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, on the recommendation of the Imo State House of Assembly, a life- a Councilor from Orsu Local government area, who resisted the directive and insisted on forcefully entering the council was lost in confrontation with security agencies, and enjoined them not to allow a repeat of such scenario.
Chief Nwoke Dike further reminded his younger brother, Hon. Chinwe Obinna that it is on record that in 2011 when Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha dissolved the duly elected chairmen and councilors under Ohakim administration, the former chairman and councilors of Ngor Okpala Local government area at that time, Barr Chief. Enyinna Onuegbu who is now the commissioner for land, Survey and physically planning did not use force to break into the local government headquarters at Ngor Okpala. Therefore, he continued:” Hon, Chinwe Obinna must follow his predecessor’s foot step and obey the law. Their can never be two Governors in Imo State at a time. Any unlawful force by the ousted chairmen and councilors will be resisted by the members of APC in the Ngor Okpala, in particular” He further advised them to listen to words of wisdom and good reasoning.
According to him, if they insist on forcefully taking over the councils on Monday, the resultant effect may not be favourable to them and indeed, may be a black spot in the history of the state should lives be lost. He went on to plead with them to ignore those behind the scene who are fanning the embers of disaffection in the state, as those who will bear the brunt of the confrontation would be they, themselves and their loyalists.