The tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors of the 27 local government areas in Imo State is set to end, with the officials expected to vacate office upon the completion of their constitutionally and statutorily prescribed two-year term.
The officials were elected in the state’s local government elections held on September 21, 2024, with the tenure of the elected council officials fixed at two years. Contemporary reports on the election also stated that the officials were elected to serve a two-year term.
Against this backdrop, information available to INNONEWS indicates that the outgoing council chairmen have been directed to begin preparations for the formal handover of their offices, including the compilation of handover notes and inventories of assets and liabilities for submission to the relevant Directors of Administration and General Services (DAGS).
The reported directive is being seen as an indication that the state government does not intend to prolong the tenure of the elected council officials beyond the two-year period for which they were elected. The development would also affect councillors representing the 305 electoral wards across the state.
With the present council administration approaching the end of its two-year mandate, attention is now expected to shift to what administrative arrangement will succeed the elected councils and whether fresh local government elections will be conducted.
For now, however, the emerging signal is that the outgoing chairmen and councillors are expected to make way at the expiration of their tenure, rather than remain indefinitely in office.**
