PDP to help restore Council Chairmen in Imo

By Amby Uneze in Owerri

 In accordance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Owerri last week on the fate of the elected chairmen and councillors of local governments in Imo State, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it would begin the process of ensuring that the 27 reinstated councils officials regained their seat.

To this end, the state PDP chairman, Chief Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), told journalists yesterday that the party leadership would formally move to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Dega, to present a copy of the court judgment for his directive to allow the reinstated Chairmen occupy their positions.

The appellate court presided over by Justice Uwani Attaji, had ordered that the sacked chairmen by Governor Rochas Okorocha in June last year, be reinstated to serve out their tenure.

The chairmen, all PDP members, were dissolved by Okorocha in his maiden broadcast as soon as he took over last year. Not satisfied by the action, they headed to a High Court in Owerri. The Chief Judge of the state, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, ruled last year that he could not rely on the evidence deposed to by the plaintiffs that they got the information of their sack in the media.

Subsequently, the sacked men approached Appeal Court, urging it that they be reinstated.
Attaji ruled that Okorocha lacked power to sack the elected chairmen. He ruled that they should resume their seat and serve out their tenure.

Duruiheoma, told journalists that the chairmen were elected in August 2010, adding that they should be allowed to serve till August 2013.
He noted that there was no indication except word of mouth, that an appeal has been filed by the government against the Court of Appeal decision.

He used the opportunity to dispel rumours that the PDP government in the past did not achieve anything. He pointed most of the landmark achievements by both ex-Governors Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim.
“We think nobody should flock these achievements,” he said.

The PDP chairman insisted that it was wrong for some people to portray them as not being active as opposition party in the state.