The embattled Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon Ebikeme Clark, has explained why his councilors are threatening to impeach him.
Barely a month to the end of his tenure, the Burutu Local Government Legislative Arm, last Tuesday, passed a vote of no confidence and notice of impeachment on the council boss, who is a son of the Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
In the notice of impeachment, signed by 15 out of the 20 councilors present during the sitting of the Legislative Arm, the councilors accused the chairman of alleged abuse of office, mismanagement of council funds and non-adherence to due process.
The motion was moved by the Councilor representing Okpokunou Ward 7, Hon. Churchill Botu, seconded by Hon. Richard Asiyae and unanimously adopted at a plenary presided over by the Leader of the Legislative Arm, Hon. Felix Kemapade.
The impeachment notice has already been forwarded to the Delta State House of Assembly for ratification as required by the Delta State Local Government Legislature Law.
But the LG boss, who spoke to our correspondent in Warri, alleged that the councilors had continued to witch-hunt him because of his refusal to accede to their demands for the sharing of the council’s allocation with them.
Clark insisted that he remained the council chairman, saying only the state House of Assembly could impeach him.
He said, “They continue to threaten that if I do not leave part of the last two months’ allocation for sharing, they will move a motion against me.
“This is the only local government in Delta State that is not owing workers’ salaries. The N50 million loan borrowed by the previous administrations and shared, was paid by me. I met a riverine local government without a boat; I bought three for the workers, the legislative arm and the Executive.
“The boat given to the legislative arm was hired to an oil company without due process and up till now, we don’t know where the boat is. I met a council without a functional vehicle. I bought six brand new ones; I gave each of the 20 councilors a constituency project, which I have completely paid for.”
He said in addition to the full payment of the salaries of all the council workers, he had given the councilors more than N100 million in form of claims and other allowances.
Clark added that the leaders of the council’s legislative arm were given brand new cars, noting that he had always asked them to compare themselves with their counterparts in the other local governments in the state.
He said, “I just completed the renovation of the council secretariat and the legislative chambers with internally generated revenue.
“Furniture to replace the last ones bought since 2002 is being produced and will be delivered in less than two weeks from now. These and many more that I cannot remember, were done in this harsh economic situation we found ourselves.
“I have always pleaded with them that if not for the recession, I would have done more. The councilors are critical of my administrative style. They believe I should have accumulated salary arrears like other councils and diverted some of the money for sharing to enable them build their houses and buy cars.”
