- Says Council SOLADS are conduit pipes
From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government of Governor Hope Uzodinma to conduct local government council elections to prove that the governing party enjoys popular support.
The party also noted that the lack of democratic governance at the local government levels in the state has retarded the development of rural communities with an alarming increase in the rate of poverty and crimes.
A press statement on Monday signed by Chilos Godsent, the National Vice Chairman ( South East) of the ADC, challenged Governor Uzodinma to conduct council polls.
The statement reads: ” The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged Gov Hope Uzodimma led the government to conduct local government council elections if he means well for the Imo youths and if he also thinks that APC is popular at the grassroots.
ADC threw this challenge knowing fully well that a democratic Local Government Council System in Imo State have the Capacity to Economically and Politically empower over ten (10) thousand Youths of Imo State, including the rapid development of rural communities and a drastic reduction in crimes. ADC recognizes that the democratic local Government council system will enhance the leadership capacity and competence of the youths who will emerge as council chairmen, deputy council chairmen, councillors, supervisory councillors, etc.
“The ADC wish to align itself with the popular opinions in the state that a democratic local government system will drastically reduce insecurity and the crime rate in the state because some of the youths who indulge in these organised gangs and crimes may be doing so because of joblessness, unemployment and hardship that is currently ravaging our dear nation and state. That is why they say that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
“It is very unfortunate and unacceptable to note that since the past sixteen (16) years now previous and present governments of Imo State have used Local Government Care-Taker-Committees, Transition Committees and Sole Administrators as a conduit pipe to arbitrarily and recklessly enhance their looting of the Local Government Council Funds.
“Finally, ADC is committed to leading the struggle for regime change in Imo State.”