Twelve out of nineteen elected Councillors in Ohafia local government have appended their signatures in support of a motion for the suspension of the council boss, Engineer John Eke over what they describe as gross misconduct, financial recklessness and other allegations leveled against him.

Confirming the number of signatories to correspondents, sponsor of the motion and councillor representing Amiyi Umuokpuru ward, Honorable Sabastine Agbaeze said the move was necessary to check the excesses of the council boss.

“The situation in Ohafia now is the misconduct of the chairman of Ohafia local government area. He has been running the council as his personal estate, doing expenses without due process, without minding that this is a democratic government, that he should know that there is a legislative arms which is suppose to check the excesses of the executive, so we said no that he should not act beyond his powers.In fact, I moved a motion that he should be suspended, he noted.”

Other councillors, Honorables Chris Nkuma, representing Amugudu ward 2 and Ukoha Oke, representing Isiama ward also confirmed that there are issues of gross misconduct on the part of the local government boss that led to the motion for the suspension.

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Nkuma went further to note that the legislators’ position is in line with the Abia state bye laws. “The Abia state bye law, 2006 as amended has it that he can be suspended if found wanton. And if 1/3 of the house signs, it stands, but as I’m talking to you, 12 councillors have signed out of 19.”

Oke, on his part stressed that the action was not aimed at witch hunting the council chairman, Engineer Eke, but an effort to ensure that things are done right. “When things are not properly handled, it creates problems, but there are ways it can be handled, but the reality on ground is that there is an issue. We can go into round table. We will reach an agreement. Those issues that were raised, if he accepts them and know it is wrong, make corrections, we move forward. Nobody is aiming to witch hunting the other. The important thing is that at the end of it all, the people which we represent become better for our actions, he opined.”

On the other hand, the councillor representing Ohafor ward 2, Honorable Ikechukwu Agwu-Ukpai noted that the relationship between the executive and the legislature “has been cordial and sophisticated” as they have been working together in the interest of the good people of Ohafia.

When contacted, the embattled Council boss, Engineer John Eke said if there were some misgivings, the local government legislature should have been given him a fair hearing, maintaining that it is only the state house of assembly that has the powers to suspend a local government chairman.

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