Group, APC condemn Obiano’s extension of LG transition committee

The Anambra State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), on Monday, in an exclusive telephone interview with Nigerian Tribune, in Awka, has decried the extension of the tenure of Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen in the state by Governor Willie Obiano led-government.

The duo described the extension of local government transition committee chairmen as an act of illegality, that must not be encouraged.

Recall that Anambra state House of Assembly had on Thursday last week renewed the tenure of 18 out of 21 Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen and members for three months following Governor Willie Obiano’s request.

According to the state Chairman of APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, the Anambra state government should rather conduct elections into the local government offices to entrench democratic process at the grassroots.

“What the state House of Assembly has done is something that will not help our democracy. It is coming to a point where the people must rise up to condemn the impunity in the state.

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“There have been court pronouncements on the need to conduct local government elections and have democratically elected officers at the local government levels.

“I call on the Federal Government to intervene by withholding the funds meant for the local government in Anambra until elections are conducted’’, he said.

He said the continued governance of the state without the input of democratically elected council officials was undemocratic.

Ejidike said that APC was more democratised in its action, saying that the party would ensure that democratic governance was fully enthroned at the grassroots when it takes over by 2021.

“When we do not conduct elections at the local government, the people do not benefit from the dividends of democracy.

“All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as a party in the state has not contributed to the wellbeing of our people and I believe the people have seen the need to have a change of government comes 2021’’ he said.

The Chairman of CLO in the state, Mr. Vincent Ezekwueme said that the tenure renewal was contrary to the position of the country’s laws, urging the state government to respect the constitution of the nation.

He said the non-conduct of local government elections had remained a major threat to ensuring grassroots development and political participation.

He added that the trend was gradually sideling people from participating in grassroots politics and good governance.

“It has been a great threat to the socio-economic development of local governments in the country.

“Governor has no power to constitute local government caretaker committees.

“The National Assembly and the Federal Government should ensure strict compliance to the landmark Supreme Court judgment that mandated all state governments to conduct elections into local government offices’’, he said.

Nigerian Tribune learned that the last local council elections conducted in the Anambra state was in January 2014 by Mr.Peter Obi led administration.