That Shameful Outing of ALGON Members Under Immediate Past Administration (Part 1)

Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State Chapter under the immediate past administration in the state lacks the primary prerequisite to criticize any legally constituted authority to probe their activities as heads of various local government councils

As it is said that no one gives what he does not have, it is also the same thing that no one claims what does not belongs to him.

The principle of natural justice makes it lucid that he who goes to equity must go with clean hands. It means one must have locus standi ti claim ownership of a particular thing or agitate for equity.

In this case, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State Chapter under the immediate past administration in the state lacks the primary prerequisite to criticize any legally constituted authority to probe their activities as heads of various local government councils…Why?

In Igbo proverb, it is said that whatever that is gotten by the side of a pot, goes to the side of the mouth. This is indeed the law of Karma.

First, prior to the purported local government election that brought them in, it is on the record and verifiable too that there was court order restraining the then government from conducting election, but the said order was flagrantly ignored.

These same uninformed and illegally elected chairmen commended the actions of the then government for their selfish reasons. But today, they are crying shamefully more than the bereaved.

Here, the Igbo idiom that when a goat finishes eating a yam belonging to a man at the extreme, it turns back and faces the one at the middle comes in.

Today, the same group of people who applauded evil and political rascality are the ones criticizing their probe. Have they forgotten that what goes around comes around?

As a Social Critic, media and Public Relations Practitioner, I see their evil smartness as an affront on the sensibility of Imolites for these individuals under probe perhaps, for their alleged recklessness in the management of my money, and your money to be fast to criticize a committee set up to look into their activities, yet people are clapping for them.

This is not only the height of absurdity, indiscretion, mafianism and impiety against the good people of the state, but a high level of brazenness and callousness on their part.

In fact, if it were in a developed country unlike ours, this group of digital "looters" would have been in prison by now cooling off on a 70 years jail term.

No doubt, every sane government has the compulsion to appoint individual it considers fit to chair any committee, or to determine who makes the list of membership of such panel, so the ALGON tittle-tattle against such credible panel led by a Senior Law officer makes their cry suspicious and outlandish.

In the words of a Greek Philosopher, "the guilt cries first more than the innocence", according to him, the guilty mind does it to attract superfluous attention and sympathy, but in all, is to the detriment of the people.

To be candid and as well, position the mindset of these ALGON members who are revolting on vacuum, they should understand that during the period they held sway as local government "Chairmen", the then administration released funds to them for the construction of chapels, rural roads, markets, motor parks, agricultural loan and renovation of LGA headquarters among others, these funds should be accounted for and anyone kicking against it is not not guilty but a glaring criminal.

And the only way to account for these funds made available to them is by probing them since the past government was fragile in digging dip into the method they adopted in utilizing the funds.

It is very preposterous for an individual to preempt the outcome of his/her investigation when decisions on the subject matter are yet to be taken. If it were in court, their behavior is tantamount to contempt and actionable as well.

Even though I initially frowned at their dissolution, but having seen the level of commendations the Governor garnered by a good number of Nigerians owing to the fact that the processes under which they came on board was faulty ab-initio, it should be known to them that they have no locus to agitate but only have the option to submit themselves for probe.

However, if they are claiming that they are still in power, one wonders if the leadership of their defunct ALGON is truly informed about how government operates.

The issue on ground is devoid of diverting people’s attention as they have embarked upon to curry sympathy, but the nitty gritty of the whole thing is for them to come forth to explain how the tax payer’s money under their care was either managed or mismanaged.

The era where public funds were looted and the looters go scot free is over, therefore, this brings to mind that one of the mandates of the present government in the state is to “rebuild”.

In this context, rebuilding does not inhibit recovery or probing, which obviously, was the basis for which the committee to investigate the redundant ALGON members was set up, and anything short of this is unmistakably deceitful and disingenuous which we shall not hesitate to let the public know.

It is very contemptible, raucous and dishonorable for the so-called ALGON members to have appeared before the panel at night to answer questions relating to spending of government funds in their disposal, only for them to come out in the day to condemn the constitution of the said committee and exercise of their duties.

This is what intelligent people call rabble rousing which speaks volume of such person’s character.

I do not have interest on the outcome of the probe, but my concern is for the ALGON allies to swallow their pride and respond responsibly to tactical questions on the whereabouts of the funds released to their LGAs.

It can be recalled that the overexcited ALGON members refused to criticize an earlier press release from the committee set up to probe them, and published by various newspapers months ago inviting them to appear before the panel, where information has it that over 20 of their members attended, only for them to suddenly make a U-turn and started preempting the outcome of the committee’s report.

Perhaps, they want Imolites to condemn their ongoing probe after they were alleged to have milked the treasury of the state.

It is on the record that shortly after the probe committee published their press release inviting the ALGON members, some Journalists which included this Writer made attempt to reach the Chairman, one GT Mgborokwu for reaction, but all messages and phone calls put across him were flagrantly ignored.

The decision of Journalists to seek reaction from the ALGON was brokered by the then Ahiazu Mbaise LGA Chairman, Hon Aductus Onuoha and we stand to be challenged.

Meanwhile, the idea of eating in the secret and coming out in the day to publish a resolution considered to have been laced with hatred, lies and unremorseful speaks volume of such individuals we address as local government Chairmen.

After reading their stand on pages of newspapers, a curious mind will imagine if such reputable organization did not seek advice from Professionals before going public.

No wonder our local government and the state are moving on snail speed, maybe because of the caliber of leaders as above we allow to lead us.

This is not only shameful but bad outing of a blind man leading blind people…you can easily guess their destination! Stay with us for the part two of the above article coming out soon.