By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Angry reactions have started trailing the Executive Bill forwarded to Imo State House of Assembly by Governor Rochas Okorocha, for the use of autonomous communities instead of electoral wards, in local government polls.

Okorocha

Already, some lawmakers, including Dr. Uche Oguwuike, Donatus Onuigwe, Bruno Ukoha and Ngozi Obiefule, kicked against it soon after it was presented by the House Majority Leader, Mr. Lugard Osuji.

Reacting, the State chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Charles Babatunde Ezekwem, wondered why the  governor only  chose the twilight of his administration to change the local government election format.

“This is honestly, a very strange move by the governor. Why he chose to alter the election format at the twilight of his administration, leaves much to be desired”, Ezekwem said.

While blaming the governor’s move on “his inordinate ambition”, Chief Ezekwem however doubted what he would gain from the new contraption, when operational.

“I am aware that issues related to local government administration are in court. Whosoever does anything before the final determination of the matter, are simply querying the authority of the court”, the Imo PDP boss opined.

In his reaction, a former commissioner in Imo State Civil Service Commission, Chief Analyn Nwaneri, said the  proposed plan is not part of either the state’s electoral law or anywhere near the Independent  National Electoral Commission’s, INEC, guidelines.