By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
State of confusion has greeted government activities in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State over an alleged impeachment of the council boss, Rt. Hon. Ekopimo Polycarp Edet by councillors.
This follows the trail of condemnations by some persons and groups in the state, including the Akwa Ibom Youth Leaders Forum, Ibiono Ibom Chapter and the Ibiono Ibom Southern Youths Stakeholders which described the councillors’ action as illegal.
A total of 10 out of 13 Councillors led by Leader of the Legislative Arm, Hon. Udeme Sunday, the Deputy Leader, Kufre Eyo, on Wednesday, impeached the chairman, Rt Hon Polycarp alleging abuse of office and misappropriation of the council’s funds.
But reacting to the action, an Uyo based lawyer and Notary Public, Kufre Okon Esq in a statement in Uyo, described it as an act of illegality since the councillors, according to him, went against due process in their action of impeaching the chairman.
Okon said, ”I have read somewhere on Social Media that the Executive Chairman of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Council has been impeached by the councillors. My immediate position is that the councillors, under the Local Government (Administration) Law, 2017 have no power to impeach the chairman.
“They can only initiate the process and nothing more. Section 44 of the Local Government (Administration) Law, 2017 has clearly spelt out the procedure to be followed in the impeachment of the chairman. Suffice it to say that the purported act of impeachment carried out by the councillors of Ibiono Ibom is an aberration, affront and a barefaced desecration of the provisions of the Local Government (Administration) Law, 2017.
”I expect the councillors, as supposed lawmakers, to have respect for the law. The act of the councillors is an embarrassment and such display of crass ignorance is a nullity, patently invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”. He added.
The legal luminary, who also described the councillors’ action as an affront to the State House of Assembly, therefore, called on the House to call them to order to avoid anarchy in the local government area.
“I want to call on the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to strongly reprimand the Legislative Council, Ibiono Ibom in order to forestall a breakdown of law and order. The act of the Councillors is an affront to the House of Assembly. The only right step the Councillors have taken in the entire process is the notice of allegations signed by 10 of them which they have sent to the Chairman and the House of Assembly. Every other step is ultra vires their powers. They should not preempt the House of Assembly but should allow it to do its job.” Kufre posited.
In the same vein, the Akwa Ibom Youth Leaders Forum, Ibiono Ibom Chapter and the Ibiono Ibom Southern Youths Stakeholders arose from a meeting and condemned action saying that the impeachment plot was politically motivated, unnecessary and absolutely illegal.
According to the Akwa Ibom Youth Leaders Forum, Ibiono Ibom Chapter, “these Councillors have not been robust in their legislative affairs which is expressly their primary assignment. We also gathered that for almost three years now, most of the Councillors have not called for their ward’s briefing.
“The Executive Chairman of Ibiono Ibom has performed excellently well and should not be distracted by either the legislators, whosoever.”
“Satisfactorily, we are also of the know that the same Councillors so far have received all their entitlements, being Salaries, Furniture allowance, Running cost and Security votes, except the month of October, 2023 to the tune of N95,543,040”, the group noted in their Press Statement.
On their part, the Ibiono Ibom Southern Youths Stakeholders revealed that the Chairman has paid Furniture/Welfare Allowances of N2,000,000 (N2m) each, to the 13 Councillors and Supervisors to the tune of N26,000,000 (N26m).”
“Each of the serving Councillor has received N233,000 monthly as salary for 34 months amounting to N7,932,000 (N7.9m).”
The group said the council chairman has done well and urged the councillors not to truncate the peace in Ibiono Ibom.
Meanwhile, the Leader of Ibiono Ibom Legislative House, Hon. Udeme Sunday, boycotted the Peace-deal meeting convened by elders of Ibiono Ibom LGA.
The meeting was attended by the Abai of Ibiono Ibom, Obong Nsima Umoh, Hon. Etop Idung, Political Adviser to the Governor, Dr. Godwin Ntukudeh, Rt. Hon. Ekopimo Polycarp and other Illustrious sons and daughters of Ibiono Ibom who gathered to look into the concerns raised by the Councillors.
