By CHARLES IWUOHA

The political tension rocking the Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi Legislative arm has taken a fresh dimension as 11 out of the 12 ward councillors of the local government area have appended their signatures to a document seeking to impeach the Council Chairman, Hon. Ogbofia Ikechukwu.

Fresh trouble erupted at the weekend over alleged 100 million budgeted for the renovation of the local government’s Legislative Chambers Complex which the councillors say still remains unrepaired and uncompleted.

The councillors had earlier accused the council Chairman of exhibiting a high level of high-handedness, abuse of power and political intolerance against them, including political stakeholders in the local government.

The council lawmakers enumerated some of their grievances against the Council Chairman to include loss of relevance, exclusion from governance, communication breakdown, diversion of the 2024 Christmas palliative from the Ebonyi State Government, favoritism of electoral registration, and neglect of development projects.

Other allegations level against the Local Government Chairman include unfulfilled promises, legislative complex decay, unexecuted budget items, unpaid entitlements, lack of constituency projects, disrespect and humiliation, and poor welfare.

"It is regrettable and unfortunate that the chairman transferred ward mobilization duties to his Special Assistants, rendering us powerless in our constituencies. Apart from that we are routinely ignored during ward and community meetings.

"The chairman in his usual manner refuses to answer or return calls, even in emergencies. Despite the Governor’s directives on Christmas rice distribution, the Chairman grossly violated his orders, with us and other communities receiving less than half of what was approved.

"The governor’s youth program (FON) and resources have been concentrated in the chairman’s ward, Abaomege. Abaomege ward monopolizes registration buses while other wards are marginalized. In over a year now, only the chairman’s ward has benefited from government projects despite a N12 billion budget.

"Despite multiple promises by the Chairman to provide us with a legislative bus, none has been provided, while the chairman enjoys luxury vehicles. The Councilors’ 3-bedroom bungalow projects in the 2025 budget remain untouched till date.

"As at today, we are owed five months of legislative votes (LV) stipends. It is also disheartening that no councilor has delivered any infrastructure project, unlike their predecessors.

"We are also excluded from event committees and often embarrassed by the chairman’s aides. Our remuneration is so meager and irregular, with minimal transport allowances even for official functions.”

A political analyst and social critic, Mr. Ifeanyi Oguta, alleged that the twelve councillors met recently and reached a common decision, to summon their political stakeholders and cry out for intervention.

He stated that on receiving the plot by the councillors, the Council Boss immediately summoned the councilors for a meeting. They went, nursing a flicker of hope that relief might come, but it turned out to be a gathering of humiliation.

"The Council Boss boasted that he had the eyes and ears of the governor, and that nothing would happen to him. After scolding them like errant schoolboys, he dismissed the councilors coldly, denying them the chance to voice their pains,” Oguta said.

News Express gathered that the councillors have officially forwarded a strongly worded petition against the Chairman to the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, and other major political stakeholders in the State expressing their deep dissatisfaction with the leadership style of Hon. Ogbofia Ikechukwu, the council Chairman.