The Imo State House of Assembly led by Rt.Hon. Chiji Collins, Wednesday resolved to investigate the immediate past Interim Management Committee(IMC) chairmen and treasurers of the 27 local government areas who served under former governor, Rt.Hon.Emeka Ihedioha.
In a motion moved by majority leader and member representing Ikeduru State constituency, Hon Uche Ogbuagu, he brought the attention of the house to the various contracts the chairmen awarded during their 6 months’ tenure.
He said some of them hurriedly signed cheques and withdrew money from council accounts when they heard that they had been relieved of their positions.
He noted that the motion was for the benefit of Imo people since he and his fellow lawmakers were elected by the people who expected a new lease of life from them, adding that “what goes around comes around”.
Ogbuagu specifically disclosed that in his own local government area, Ikeduru, a treasurer who hailed from another area in the state allegedly withdrew well over N1 billion from the council coffers while his chairman claimed to have built a football stadium, urging the Assembly to set up an Adhoc Committee to do a thorough job on the matter.
Opposing the motion, the former deputy speaker and member representing Mbaitoli State constituency, Rt.Hon.Okey Onyekanma, the minority leader ,Hon.Anyadike Nwosu of Ezinihitte and Hon Frank Ugboma of Oguta said they were not against the probe but told their colleagues to act within the ambit of the law.
They recalled that an audit of the LGAs had been done and needed to be reviewed and that it was after the review that something else would be done.
They cautioned against repeated motions which might bring the integrity of the Assembly to a state of ridicule.
However, in his clarification, Rt Hon Chiji Collins said he looked into the relevant provisions of the Constitution and discovered that the motion and the one moved earlier which the opposing members were talking about were not similar.
Consequently, he set-up an Adhoc Committee to be headed by Hon Kennedy Ibe of Obowo State constituency.
