IMO: Court orders Gov Uzodinma to reinstate sacked local council officials, brands interim committee ‘ghost workers’

Justice Tijani Rigime of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday, ordered the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, to reinstate the sacked chairmen and councilors of the 27 local government areas of the state.

The ousted governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha had last year sacked the local council chiefs who were elected during ex-governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration in the state.

The decision was upheld by Uzodinma who took over from Ihedioha earlier this year.

Justice Rigime, who delivered judgment on the applications brought by the sacked local council officials, ordered them to return to office immediately.

He described the Interim Management Committee appointed by the state government to run the affairs of the LGAs as “ghost workers.”

READ ALSO: Paying ex-govs, speakers pension from state purse illegal –Gov Uzodinma

The judge said the governor had no legal right to sack elected local council officials whose tenure was guaranteed by the constitution.

He said: “An order seeking that the sacked chairmen be reinstated is hereby granted. The constitution is very clear on this that it is reckless and executive lawlessness for the executive to sack duly elected local government chairmen.

“Interim Management Committee chairmen as appointed by the state governor are ghost workers before the law. ”

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