EVEREST EZIHE reports that following grapevine reports that Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State may have advanced plans to sack the 27 local government Interim Management Committees (IMC) any moment from now, fear, anxiety, suspense and confusion have engulfed the council bosses even as pressure has come on the governor and his close allies, associates, appointees and some members of the State House of Assembly lobbying seriously for the protection of their interests.
The chairmen, who had barely spent seven months in office, are largely adjudged to have performed below average based on reports the Governor read out in his last week State EXCO meeting while attributing majority woes of the state to an alleged lack of commitment activities of the council chairmen.
The AUTHORITY South-East Post in Owerri,the state capital observed that since news of the impending sack broke out, the Governor’s top political associates and aides have been subjected to an intense pressure seeking to make fresh nominees for the LG jobs if possible.
Obviously, the Party leaders and chieftains are also not left out of the fray in the scramble to make input in the nomination or appointment.
This according to Chief Michael Eze, APC stalwart in Orlu senatorial zone who spoke to The Authority South-East Post in Owerri: “It is barely 24 hours, that news went round that the Chairmen may be sacked, and this has generated tension and anxiety within government circle.
The current Chairmen, are now reaching out to ascertain if they will survive the looming sack, or if the news of their sack is real.
“Some of the Governor’s men have been besieged. Already lobbying for the replacement of the Council Chairmen in all honesty and sincerity . It is really shocking, how barely day news went round that the Chairmen will be sacked, lobbying for their replacement has begun in earnest.
“Some of the appointees, even some members of the State House of Assembly, have already began to scheme for replacements when the present Chairmen have not been officially sacked.
It will be recalled that Governor Hope Uzodinma in March this year solely appointed the Council Chairmen using all those who coordinated him in 2019 gubernatorial election as LGA Chairmen under his Camp Hope campaign organization, a development which did not go down well with party leaders and stakeholders in the state and local Government areas.
