Otti, Ex-Lawmaker Trade Tackles Over Proposed Abia Council Poll

A former member representing the Umunneochi state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon.Ikedi Ezekwesiri, has addressed Abia Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, saying he lacks the constitutional powers to dissolve any elected Local Government Executive.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairmanship aspirant for Umunneochi Local Government Council stated this while fielding questions from newsmen at the PDP secretariat Umuahia where he came to pick his nomination form.

Hon Ezekwesiri who was reacting to the court order restraining the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, from conducting the April 19 Local Government election, said that the out-going administration had the right to carry on with the activities of Government without any restraint.

The ex-lawmaker said that Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu had the right to exercise his constitutional powers including conducting council election up till the midnight of the expiry date of his tenure in office.

” I’m not perturbed at all. The law is trite that the tenure of a sitting Governor will elapse on the mid night of the day preceding his tenure expiration.

” It suffices therefore, that all the authorities bestowed on him by the constitution subsist until he leaves office.

” So, a Governor- elect that presents himself to be democratic and civil, cannot just wake up and dissolve a democratically elected Local Government Executive.

” It will be irresponsibility, and smacks of political rascality for Otti to wake up and dissolve a democratically elected Local Government Executive simply because it was not conducted by him.

” It’s only reasonable to be civil and descent in approaches to governance. When you go beyond civility and decency, you lose credibility “.

But in a swift reaction, Otti said any election conducted in violation to a court injunction would amount to exercise in futility.

The Governor -elect who spoke through his Media Aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said there was already a subsisting court injunction restraining the out-going administration from conducting the proposed council poll, and should be honoured.

” The position of the Governor -elect is the position of the law. There is a court order restraining ABSIEC from conducting any council election. What that implies is that if ABSIEC flouts that order and goes ahead to conduct the election, it will amount to a nullity. It will amount to an act of illegality and, naturally, it stands nullified.

” Until the court order is vacated anything done will amount to waste of time and resources. It’s not Ikedi Ezekwesiri to determine the powers of Otti. The law has defined the powers of the Governor”.

Meanwhile, Ezekwesiri has identified insecurity bedeviling Umunneochi as one of the major challenges he would tackle if given the opportunity.

He also promised to give a facelift to rural roads in the council, provide health centres and promote agriculture.

On his chances at the poll considering the abysmal performance of the PDP at the just-concluded general elections, the former lawmaker said ‘Obi tsunami’ that affected the fortunes of the ruling party in the previous elections would have no effect in the forthcoming council poll, which, according to him is local.

He further said that the quality, capacity, acceptability and antecedents of the individual candidate and not the party would determine ones success at the poll.

” This is a local election. It wouldn’t be affected by the Obi wave. My acceptability and pedigree speak for me. People paid for my nomination form and 70% of them are from outside the PDP.

“He also said he was favoured by the prevailing local zoning arrangement at the Council, insisting that it is the turn of his Mbato clan in Zone 1 to produce the elected Council Chairman at this time.

The ex- House of Assembly member identified the N4.5 billion Ubahu/Nneato/Aku/ Ihube road project; the N1.3 billion Nkwoagu Isuochi erosion control; N93 million Imo River Bridge, among others, as some of his key achievements while in the House.