An unusual joint sitting by councillors from Ideato South and Ideato North Local Government Areas of Imo State has sparked political attention after the lawmakers convened on the newly constructed Orashi Bridge to pass three motions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The meeting was held under canopies on the Orlu-Akokwa federal highway at Umuchima, with the two legislative chambers represented by their speakers, clerks and councillors.
During the sitting, the lawmakers adopted three motions through voice votes.
The first motion sought to bar former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, from coming within a five-kilometre radius of the bridge, citing what the councillors described as his failure to adequately address the erosion and deterioration that affected the road and bridge during his administration.
The second motion endorsed Governor Hope Uzodimma for the Imo West Senatorial District seat in the 2027 election, while the third called for the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for another presidential term.
The councillors reportedly linked their action against Okorocha to the prolonged hardship experienced by residents of the Ideato axis after erosion damaged the road and bridge, disrupting a major link between the communities and other parts of the state.
The newly constructed Orashi Bridge, which links Imo and Anambra states through the Ideato North and Ideato South axis, is yet to be opened for public use, as construction activities were still ongoing at the time of the sitting.
The unusual location of the legislative session has, however, generated criticism, with questions raised over the constitutional authority of local government legislative chambers to restrict the movement of an individual.
The development also comes amid political contest over the Imo West Senatorial seat, with Okorocha reportedly challenging Uzodimma’s candidacy in court.
The controversy over the councillors’ resolutions is therefore expected to remain subject to the appropriate legal and electoral processes, particularly regarding the enforceability of the purported restriction on Okorocha’s movement and the political endorsements ahead of the 2027 elections.
