Former Vice Chairmen of Local Government Areas in Anambra State yesterday decried the monthly payment of N40,000 into their accounts by the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, since they left office in July. They called on the Governor to rather pay them their severance package amounting to N10.78 million for each person.

Addressing journalists in Awka, Spokesmen for the 20 former Vice Chairmen, namely, Hon. Chuks Obiweluozor for Anambra Central, Hon. Michael Anedu for Anambra South and Hon. Chris Arinze for Anambra North, not only described the payment as illegal but said they could not fathom what the money was meant for.

They said: “We decided to speak out to avoid getting into trouble with anti-graft agencies in future.

“We left office since July, 2016 and as such see it as an illegality to draw salaries from the state government. It may interest you to know that up till now, the local government joint account allocation committee office still pays us salaries to the tune of N40, 000 per month.

“May we sound it loud and clear that we do not need to be part of this illegality.

Therefore, we call on those concerned to stop this illegality forthwith. If there should be any payment, then let the payment be correctly tagged.”

According to them, their major concern is the payment of their unpaid entitlements, which includes furniture allowance, entertainment allowance, accommodation allowance, constituency allowance, domestic allowance, severance gratuity, utility allowance, personal staff, etc, totaling N10.78 million.

The former vice chairmen noted that all the attempts they made to see the Commissioner for Local Government to address the matter failed adding, “The last straw that broke the Carmel’s back was when the Commissioner dismissed us when we sought audience with him on December 2, 2016, without seeing him.”

They further threatened to drag the state government to court over the matter when all efforts to get government to pay them fail.

The statement they made available to journalists reads: “The Vice Chairmen went through elections with chairmen of various council areas. It is the position of the law that no Chairman can go through elections without a Vice Chairman. It is the same with Governors and Deputies, as well as the President and Vice President.

“In our own case, we were treated as if we did not go through the same election with the Chairmen as we were never taken seriously irrespective of the fact that the Vice Chairmen were the soul of our party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).”

The ex-Vice Chairmen lamented the agony they are facing after disposing their landed property and other valuables, and even borrowed money to contest the local government election, regretting that because of the hardship they went through during their tenure, they were finding it difficult to repay the loans.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano.

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