Hon. Tamuno Williams, Chairman of Wakirike Local Government Area, Walga, has been warned of an impending political doom, if he does not quickly make moves to keep his house in order.
Concerned sources who felt Hon. Williams is a blessing to the LGA, and who pleaded anonymity, disclosed to The Newswriter that subterranean moves have begun to unseat the chairman unless he takes immediate steps to create a rapport between him and the councilors.
“We know you, you are of The Newswriter newspaper. We can authoritatively tell you that the chairman would soon be impeached if he does not make moves to secure his position,” the sources informed The Newswriter at the council premises, on Tuesday, March 6, 2012.
They said higher forces seemed to have teamed up to close the deal and that the rupture has begun from the councilors, as the legislative House seemed to be divided amongst loyalists of the chairman and those opposed to him.
The sources said it is only the laudable programmes of Hon. Williams and lack of impeachable offence on his part that had secured his seat so far.
What his opponents have against him, the sources continued, are insinuations of the chairman’s determination to govern the LGA according to the rules, refusing to subject himself to the powers that seek to control him.
“As we are talking to you now, the deputy leader, Hon. Agnes Atelibo, has been relieved of her position, together with the chief whip of the house, Hon. Zachariah Loveday.
Hon. Sobere Moses, councilor for ward 11, has been given three months’ suspension arbitrarily by the leader, for allegedly coming late to a sitting of the House.
Giving details of their reason for the suspicion that the chairman was the target of the councillors, the sources said actually there was a time, the leader of the House warned about the late coming attitude of the councilors and urged them to desist from the act, a warning which the entire House deemed genuine and accordingly it was unanimously decided that a fine be imposed on latecomers according to the local government guidelines. It was also agreed that in a day for sitting, the councillors would meet informally by 9 am before the official sitting time of 10 am for the formal session.
Luck however ran out of Hon. Sobere Moses when coming to the council with his newly acquired vehicle, courtesy of the chairman of the council, he had blockade on his way and came late, albeit, before 10 am, on Tuesday February 2, 2012, the time for the formal sitting, when the leader was giving his remarks at a time that was supposed to be an informal session.
The sources said the leader who was facing the entrance of the hall, immediately gave an order that the door be closed against him. He immediately slammed a three month suspension on him and continued with his remarks.
The whip and the deputy leader pointed out the irregularity of the leader’s action, reminding him that a penalty, at most, would have been a fine. That was their undoing. Hon. Moses’ pleadings for forgiveness fell on deaf ears.
According to the source, the following week, precisely on Thursday March 1, 2012, during a sitting, a motion was moved that the whip and the deputy leader be relieved of their positions because they seemed to have divergent views with the House and that they have been having secret meetings with the chairman.
Voting by the House, both for the suspension of Hon. Moses and the removal of the officers were carried out by a simple majority of 6 to 4, instead of the mandatory two-third majority as stipulated by the guidelines.
The sources said an attempt by the whip to plead with the leader in his chambers led to his being pushed down and beaten by others, an incident the leader said never happened.
They said Hon. Bright Gogo of the House of Representatives, Chief Nemi Adoki, the chairman, Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs, the PDP, Okrika, chairman of PDP, Okrika chapter and others were invited to settle the rift, but they upheld the actions of the leader and so the suspension of Moses and the removal of the whip and the deputy leader were sustained despite being against the guidelines.
The Newswriter made attempts to reach the chairman on phone, including sending message but never got a reply at the time of going to press.
Some councillors called on phone, refused comments, insisting that only the leader has the right to comment.
In his own part, when contacted on phone, the leader, Hon. Golden Ikpuku, said it was an internal issue that should be resolved internally.
He said there is bound to be disagreements in governance and it should not be for the public consumption.
Hon. Ikpuku said the leadership has waded into the issue and settled it but could not give any details, since, in his views, it should not be a media war.
He said if he had wanted it to go to the media, he would have ordered the House to issue a press statement, but he refrained from doing that.
“We have orders guiding us and my opinion is that it can be resolved. The chairman and I met and we have no problems. We only disagree to agree,” the leader stated.
The sources said they were concerned because the chairman is performing and besides he has given the councillors all their statutory entitlements, although they are insisting on more. ###
Kenneth Amabipi
