BY CHUKS OHAERI
The die may be cast for fresh altercations between former Local Government Chairmen elected during the reign of former Governor Rochas Okorocha and the Hope Uzodinma administration.
Gov Uzodinma had dealt a fatal blow to the former Council Bosses on Thursday when he appointed Chairmen for the Interim Management Committees, IMC, for the 27 local governments in the State.
The new Interim Chairmen are his core loyalists who rode with him in his nail- biting battle to become Governor of Imo State.
Uzodinma appears to be on a solo move rewarding only his loyalists thus shutting out allies in the sharing of the spoils of power.
The sacked Chairmen who had waited with bated breadth their reinstatement however received a rude shock from Governor Uzodinma, vowing to now continue legal fireworks in Court, where they are challenging their sack from office by the Emeka Ihedioha administration.
Former Governor Okorocha and Uzodinma had celebrated the latter’s Supreme Court victory but things seem to have gone sour when the Governor continuously shut out Okorocha’s men from appointments.
There was disquiet in the camp of Okorocha’s loyalists over the development as many of them who spoke to this newspaper expressed worry over Uzodinma’s solo run in making his appointments.
“To say the least, we are disappointed. The Governor had assured that he will not appoint Interim Chairmen, only for him to turn around to do so. “This is unacceptable moreso when there is a letter from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, who directed that we be reinstated” said one of the sacked Council Chairmen
Another source claimed that since Uzodinma faltered in the deal with Okorocha both have not been on speaking terms. This newspaper could not verify his claims.
Also affected are those in the camp of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who seem to be suffering the same fate.
None of Araraume’s allies made the cut in series of appointments made by the Governor.
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