The Ebonyi State Government has announced that the tenure of all the 13 elected Local Government Chairmen and 171 Ward Councillors in the State would end on May 29, 2020.
This was contained in Governor David Umahi’s Statewide live broadcast on Sunday at the Government House, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Umahi also announced the dissolution of the State Neighbourhood Security Watch, come June 1, 2020, revealing his intention to constitute a new one in collaboration with traditional rulers and other community leaders.
Umahi, who noted that he had already forwarded names of nominees for LG Caretaker Committee Chairmen to the State House of Assembly, warned politicians not to waste their time lobbying for the posts.
According to him, he would engage traditional rulers, town union Executives and other stakeholders in the rural communities to nominate 100 persons to be constituted into a new Neighbourhood Security Watch.
He emphasised that the State Internal Security outfit to be reconstituted would be engaged principally to strictly police the State borders in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
Umahi explained: “We need to announce to Ebonyians that effective from 1st of June, the Neighbourhood Watch in Ebonyi State will stand dissolved.
“We want to thank our Chairmen, they have worked so well.
“But the tenure of the Chairmen and Councillors comes to an end at 12 midnight of Thursday, the 29th day of May, 2020.
“We want to passionately thank them so much for all their efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and we assure them that we will still work with them one way or the other in this unfortunate problem that Nigeria is facing.
“However, we are waiting for INEC to come up with their guidelines for Ondo and Edo elections, so that we would copy from them how they would conduct the elections.
“Then we will be approaching the State House of Assembly to incorporate it into the law, so we can start our process of Local Government elections.
“But the law as it is allows me to appoint, subject to the approval of the House of Assembly, a transition Committee.
“And let Ebonyians don’t lobby.
“We have already submitted their names to the Speaker.
“We are getting people who will help us fight the pandemic.
“That’s the only job these people are coming to do.”
Umahi further stressed that all political appointees in the State, including Coordinators of Development Centres, Management Committee members, Liaison Officers should be involved in border surveillance and supervising, while traditional rulers and Town Union Executives are expected to engage in combing the rural areas for returnees who beat the borders into the villages.
Meanwhile the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, Nkechinyere Iyioku-Ezeani, in a telephone conversation, said the announcement was in line with the requirements of the laws, and as such did not come to them as a surprise.
The State ALGON boss and Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area of the State, appreciated God for granting them health, rewarding services and appreciated the Governor and the people of Ebonyi State for offering them opportunities to serve.
On the question of those who would make the list for appointment into the transition committee, Iyioku-Ezeani replied: “I am not the Governor.
“It is the Governor’s exclusive right to appoint those he considers competent to work with him for the good of the State after May 29.”
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