A group, Campaign for Constitutional Justice (CCJ), has condemned the dissolution of local governments and Council of Ndieze in Imo State, saying Governor Rochas Okorocha erred in law.
In a statement issued in Enugu , the Regional Headquarters of CCJ, Southeast Chapter, Head of Programmes Dr. Kieran Igbojekwe, said: “Having carefully reviewed the governor’s maiden broadcast in Imo State , it became very clear that Chief Okorocha has to be advised on constitutional matters.
“The relevant state laws on the running of Imo State Council of Ndieze as provided in Imo State Law Number 6 of 2006 is very clear on Number 6, Section17A.
“Section 17A says that “the tenure of office of every executive member of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers shall be five years unless predetermined by resignation or death, it did not allow for sack by the Governor.”
The group argued that, “by law, there are only two conditions that can effect the untimely removal of the council member and they are resignation or death and not executive fiat that lacked merit in law or had not been proven by law”.
“The Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers is a creation of the laws of Imo State and by the law, it is tenured to five years,” CCJ noted, stressing that “the statutory provisions of the law are clear and should not be misinterpreted by any party”.
“Until either the council or any member is found guilty of an offence by a court or tribunal, the dissolution by a governor’s broadcast is illegal, unconstitutional and an abuse of the status book which the governor had sworn to protect”.
The group, therefore, called on the governor to retrace his steps as it concerns traditional institutions and reinstate the Council of Ndieze.
Efforts to get the views of the chairman, Imo State Council of Ndieze, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya and any other executive member or the council failed.
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