ADC slams Uzodimma, aide over threat to sack 27 local chairmen

From Stanley Uzoaru

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised Governor Hope Uzodimma’s threat to sack 27 Local Government chairmen and 305 councillors in Imo State if they fail to relocate to their communities to address security challenges. The party also condemned Uzodimma’s Chief Political Adviser, Perry Opara, for defending the governor’s stance.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, May 13, ADC’s National Vice Chairman, Chilos Godsent, argued that Opara lacks the moral authority to support Uzodimma’s directive and called for his dismissal. Godsent stressed that the state government should have considered the security realities in local communities before issuing such orders.

“While ADC is not totally against these Local Government Council Chairmen and Councillors living in the communities, we are against the tendency and pretence of the Government of Imo State not to know the security realities on ground in many communities in Imo State now,” he said.

Godsent noted that the chairmen and councillors face unpopularity and rejection due to the disputed July 2024 local government elections. To address rural insecurity, he urged leaders, including Uzodimma, state assembly members, and political appointees, to lead by example and relocate to their villages. “We are also aware that Chief Perry Opara doesn’t live and operate from his village as Chief Political Adviser to the Governor of Imo State,” Godsent added.

The ADC proposed three solutions: first, Uzodimma should mandate chairmen to build residential quarters with necessary facilities at council headquarters; second, the state should support traditional rulers and community leaders to establish volunteer vigilante squads to patrol forests; and third, the government and appointees must avoid interfering in town union politics. “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) believes that the best way to lead is to lead by example,” Godsent concluded.