A group under the auspices of Owerri Zone Awareness Coalition (OZAC) has urged Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma to conduct election into the 27 local governments next year.
It said it gave the advice in view of the fact that the third tier of government in the state had been run by caretaker committees headed by 27 sole administrators since the administration on January 15, 2020.
The system was put in place upon assumption of Emeka Ihedioha as the governor, who took over from Rochas Okorocha on May 29, 2019.
Ihedioha, on assumption of office, dissolved the elected local government officials in an election conducted by the Okorocha administration, putting in place caretaker administrators.
After the Supreme Court nullified the election of Ihedioha, enthroning Uzodimma, the latter sacked the caretaker committee members appointed by Ihedioha and replaced them with his appointees.
Uzodimma had promised to hold council elections about three times this year, even before the last governorship off-season election in the state, but none has taken place.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of OZAC, Emmanuel Okwu, the body regretted that the local council system in Imo had been under the appointive system for several years, as no election took place at the grassroots level. It lamented that it was causing lack of rural development.
The group noted that ushering in democratically elected persons at the councils would bring “democracy dividend to the citizens” and bring them closer to the government at that level.
