Ex-council chiefs threaten to dump Obiano over unpaid entitlements

The former chairmen of local government councils in Anambra, who served between 2014 and 2016, have appealed to the state government to pay their entitlements.

They also threatened not to support him in the next governorship elections in the state if they were not paid the money.

One of the ex-council chiefs, who pleaded anonymity, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Awka on Thursday. He said the councils’ chairmen were worried that several weeks after a four-page letter on the issue was sent to Gov. Willie Obiano, the state government had not responded.

According to the letter, made available to newsmen, each of the ex-chairmen is demanding about N22 million, said to be the shortfall of their approved take-home pay.

He said the money was legitimate as contained in the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMFC) Law Vol. 1, 2007.

He said the 14-day ultimatum as contained in the letter given to the state government elapsed on May 11, adding that the ex-chairmen had yet to hear from the government on the matter.

“We may drop our support for the governor in the next election if our legitimate demands are not met.

“The ultimatum of 14 working days we issued expires today (May 11) and it is unfortunate that till now, we have not received a positive response.

“Our demands are legitimate, all we are asking for from the state government is the shortfall of our entitlement as approved by RMFC,’’ he said.

The Chairman of the group, Chief Azubuike Iloh, said they were waiting for the government to respond to their demand. Iloh, the former chairman of Awka South Local Government Council, said the ex-chairmen would address a news conference on the administration of the councils for the 30 months they were in charge.

He said they might take legal steps as well as petition various anti-corruption agencies in their bid to get justice.

“By today (Thursday), we have exhausted the time for us to dialogue. It may interest you that no word had reached us since we wrote the letter.

“We will do everything legally possible to get what is due to us; we will address a World Press Conference to tell the world how the local governments were administered for about 30 months we were in government.

“We will also petition the various anti-corruption agencies against the government,’’ he said.

Efforts by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to get the reaction of Chief Greg Obi, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters was unsuccessful.