The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the management of local government funds, accusing council chairmen in the state of of mismanagement, amid noticeable infrastructural decay.
The Imo PDP expressed dismay that despite the 27 local governments receiving a staggering N13 billion monthly in 2025, N9 billion in 2024, and N7 billion in 2023 from the federation account, yet the local government areas remain in pitiable conditions with no proof of government’s presence to justify the receipt of such funds.
The party, in a statement on Thursday issued by its spokesperson, Lancelot Obiaku, bemoaned that the local governments of the state are in ruin, having no visible imprint of governance.
It asserted that while local councils were created to serve as the immediate tier of government saddled with the responsibility of attending to the needs of rural dwellers, the local councils under the Governor Hope Uzodinma administration have been worse than stagnant.
“Since the inception of Uzodinma’s administration, the 27 local government areas of the state have received at least N620 billion, which has yielded nothing and has not been accounted for.
“As of today, no local government in the state receives less than N430 million monthly, with Mbaitoli and Isiala Mbano receiving the highest allocations for August at N625 million and N577 million, respectively,” the release stated.
The party, alerted the EFCC and ICPC that primary health centres in various communities across the state, built decades ago, have become the dwelling place of rodents, reptiles, and snakes, while public schools in most council areas have stopped functioning due to neglect.
“Roads leading to many local government council headquarters are impassable, with a number of rural communities rendered uninhabitable due to bad roads that the local government cannot even grade.
“We insist that the anti-graft agencies must rise up now to tame this monumental corruption.
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“We acknowledge the statement by the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, in February, emphasizing that local government chairpersons are not exempt from investigation or prosecution for fraudulent activities due to their lack of immunity,” the release further stated.
The party added that it is a welcome development that the EFCC has established a fraud risk assessment and control department, with officers from the department expected to visit local government councils to monitor the use of funds from the federation account.
It therefore, urged the EFCC and ICPC to probe council chairmen in the state, who it further alleged, were literally appointed by Gov. Uzodinma, to explain the whereabouts of the sums they receive monthly as federal allocations.
The party maintained that the probe is now necessary, as there are no projects such as schools, markets, construction or rehabilitation of roads, including electricity projects, going on in various communities across the 27 council areas in the state.
