Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, has given reasons the serving Mayors and Caretaker Committee Councillors in Abia would not participate in the November 2 Local Government election in the state.
The former House of Representatives member who spoke with Ikengaonline in Umuahia on the heels of social media reports that Gov. Alex Otti had barred the Mayors from contesting in the forthcoming poll, said it was incorrect to accuse the Governor of excluding the Mayors from the contest.
He explained that it was rather the Constitution and Electoral Act that posed some legal encumbrances to their participation, adding that the Governor and the party in a stakeholders’ meeting only drew the attention of the Mayors and the Counsellors to the constitutional impediments to their ambition.
The former lawmaker explained that the Electoral Act provides that a public office holder wishing to contest for an elective office would have to resign at least 30 days ahead of the exercise.
He quickly added that the 30 days “by interpretation, is 30 days to the process of the election because election is a process,” explaining that the incumbent Mayors were cut unawares.
Hon Obioma debunked insinuations that it was a deliberate act to exclude the Mayors from the contest, arguing that “if there is any group of people the Governor would want to continue, it’s the Mayors because they are performing very well.”
“The Governor has a very cordial relationship with all of them, and would not have plotted against them. Nobody knew about the constitutional encumbrances until the attention of the Governor and the party was drawn to it.
“The Governor didn’t bar, and could not have barred anybody from contesting. The situation is that because of the constitutional encumbrances, it became very evident that it will be difficult for the current Mayors to participate in the local government election.
“There is a legal requirement that public officers wishing to contest should resign within a certain period, and they were cut up with that. While the Governor is not averse to their contesting, they also have to be aware of the reality of the legal implications.
“So, what happened was that they were told the legal implications to avoid unnecessary litigations. You know that this administration has respect for the rule of law and would not like any abuse.”
On the fears that the opposition parties might capitalise on the development to snatch some of the Councils from the ruling Labour Party being a new party in the state, Obioma said the achievements of the Governor and his appointees so far, would make it difficult for any other party to be considered by Abia voters.
“LP still has competent persons that can win elections in all the counclis. Abia people are pleased with LP and what the Governor is doing.
“When PDP was in power, we defeated it. So, what will make the people look their way now? Is it the APC? With all the challenges and difficulties people are passing through in this country, who will look their way? APC has run this country aground and nobody will like to come close to them.”
