Posted by By Udede Jim on
Anger and widespread protests have greeted the claim by some legislators in Asari-Toru Local Government Area (ASALGA) that they would move for impeachment against the council chairman, Hon. Aroloyeteim I. Brown on allegations of financial recklessness and gross misconduct.
Anger and widespread protests have greeted the claim by some legislators in Asari-Toru Local Government Area (ASALGA) that they would move for impeachment against the council chairman, Hon. Aroloyeteim I. Brown on allegations of financial recklessness and gross misconduct.
Many persons and groups whose opinions were sought by Telegraph on the events so far condemned the stand of a set of councillors whom they say do not even reside in their constituencies, wondering whose interests they are really propagate, adding that Hon. Aroloye Brown has done a lot to bring back peace and development to the once abandoned communities of the area, especially Buguma which was engulfed in serious communal crises for about two years.
A clergyman, Rt. Rev. D. B. Kaladokubo JP, Bishop of the African Church, Rivers Diocese, who revealed that he had lived in Buguma for about thirty-three years credited Hon. Brown with several laudable initiatives to have residents of the council headquarters live in peace and also feel the real impact of democratic administration since he took office in April last year.
Besides his developmental initiatives like the reworking of the drainage in the northern axis of the community and building a modern motor park awaiting commissioning, Bishop Kaladokubo said the council boss encourages believers of the gospel to carry out spiritual programmes for the cleansing of the LGA by God in order to have a beneficial manifestation of His promises.
Noting the commitment of Brown to the return of peace in the area, in active collaboration with the church and the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, Prof. T. J. T. Princewill, the cleric warned that any careless action against the chairman could spell disaster to ASALGA again.
Several other respondents to the impeachment threat decried the councillors for not discharging their duties responsibly, while some sued that all the parties in the dispute be called to a round table for effective dialogue, one of the most tools for settling conflicts in a democratic dispensation.
However, Chief McKenzie Inko-Tariah, former member of the House of Reps and secretary to the ASALGA Peace and Reconciliation Committee, described the claim of impeachment against Hon. Brown as completely invalid and irresponsible, since there were no grounds to peg allegations, considering the high level of performance by the present council in all sectors, including women and youth empowerment while also pursuing sustainable infrastructural development.
Chief Mangibo Okorosa Amachree, one-time chairman of Kalabari Se Kobiri, also cautioned the councillors and their alleged sponsors against causing any problem capable of plunging the city of Buguma and the entire council into crisis again.
Reacting to the claim as well, Hon. Daye Osima Ojuka, the substantive leader of the ASALGA Legislative denounced the threat, saying that it was one huge joke, illegal and undemocratic, completely at variance with the House standing rules and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He disclosed that the legislative arm has not been sitting since June 14, 2005 after a sine die postponement following some confusion among themselves.
Ojuka pointed out that a legislative arm that is not procedurally correct cannot even sit, not to talk about venturing into impeachment of a council chairman, adding that the dissident councillors were selfish and heaping allegations on Hon. Brown because he refused to yield to their greedy demand of N2 million each on the eve of the botched visit of Governor Odili to ASALGA in June.
In spite of all the hoopla by the legislators, the chairman, Hon. Aroloye Brown has stressed his determination to turn things round to a more positive direction in the LGA, insisting that council funds are for the development of the people and places as deemed necessary, not for sharing among privileged leaders.
He intimated that he would always move with the developmental blueprint he has articulated in line with the guidelines and footsteps of the state governor, Dr. Peter Odili, who places premium on accountability and transparency in the use of funds.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has stepped in into the imbroglio in a bid to resolve it amicably.