Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Impeachment looms in Ibesikpo as Councilors pass vote of no confidence on Chairman BY JOSEPH OKON

Impeachment looms in Ibesikpo as Councilors pass vote of no confidence on Chairman BY JOSEPH OKON


Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, Apostle Ekpe James is again at loggerhead with his Councilors over what the Councilors describe as the financial recklessness of the Council Chairman coupled with his abuse of power and assault on one of their female counterpart at a meeting held at his residence. 

The six of the ten Councilors in the legislative council including the Leader and Deputy Leader have unanimously passed and signed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman, Apostle Ekpe James; calling on him to resign his position or face impeachment.


They resolved that the Councilors will stop at nothing to ensure that the chairman is brought to book for his fraudulent acts.

In a release signed by the clerk of the legislature, Mr. Timothy P. Umoh and six of the Councilors, the sins of the Council Chairman, Ekpe James include: 
non-payment of eleven months impress and running fee, non-payment of councilors national convention/seminar fee at Abuja, non implementation of ward project in any of the ward as contained in the 2013 appropriation bill passed by the councilors and obtaining of loan worth millions of naira from Diamond Bank without the consent of the legislature or approval from the Governor.

Others are; financial misappropriation and embezzlement of excess crude oil and sure-p monies, non compliance with due process, assault on a female councilor, and non implementation of 2013 budget as passed by the councilors.

They said that the negative effect of the Chairman’s evil deeds and misconduct has hampered the effective administration of the council and has also dimmed the people’s expectations of getting democracy dividends. 

The councilors maintained that the undisciplined and financial recklessness of the chairman has reached an intolerable height capable of frustrating the oversight functions of the legislature.

They further accused the chairman of high-handedness and persistent disregard to resolutions of the legislature; describing such misdeeds as highly condemnable and an affront to democratic norms, peace and good governance.

The resolution reads in part, “accordingly, we the leadership and the entire councilors of Ibesikpo Asutan Legislative Council do hereby pass a vote of no confidence on Apostle Ekpe James, Executive Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area and call on him to resign from office forthwith without further delay”. “We completely disassociate our legislative council from the ill-activities of Ekpe James and call on the good and law abiding people of Ibesikpo Asutan to maintain their calm and loyalty to the State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio whose leadership and good governance qualities is jettisoned and refused to be replicated in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area”.

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