Anambra hasn’t had a democratically elected council chairman in 13 years- ALGON

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has threatened to sue the Anambra State government over its refusal to conduct local government elections in the past 13 years.

ALGON disclosed this as one of the resolutions adopted by the council vice chairmen, when its National Working Committee met at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja over the weekend.

The body accused successive governments in Anambra of running local government administration in the past 13 years without democratically elected council chairmen. It likened the local government area caretaker committees installed by Governor Willie Obiano to a conduit pipe to siphon money.

READ ALSO: KILLINGS: Buhari reacts to claims he’s unconcerned

Chairman of the body, Hon Lawrence Onuchukwu, who read out the resolutions, listed Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Imo and Gombe as some of the defaulting states.

Speaking on the unilateral powers wielded by some state governors to remove from office local government council chairmen, ALGON resolved that no governor should dissolve any local government area administration in their respective states.

“The body strongly advises the governors who are yet to conduct local government election to do because local governments are the closest to the people, and there is no way a government will continue to run an administration without elected officers of local government,” Onuchukwu said.

Onuchukwu noted that the Supreme Court had in 2016 pronounced that no governor-elect has the power to dissolve an elected local government administration and replace them with caretaker committees.

The apex court described such abuse of power as executive recklessness, which contravenes Section 7 (1) of the Constitution from which the state House of Assemblies derive their power to enact the local government law.

Onuchukwu, who is the vice chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), warned the affected states governors and others planning to dissolve some local government administrations and install caretaker committees in their various states to desist from the act.

The vice chairmen who attended the NWC meeting included Princess Folashade Olabanji-Adu, Ikorodu LGA; Hon Muktar Dahiru Gora, Madosi LGA; Hon Joseph Ikenwe, Aniocha South LGA; Ahmed Salisu Isyaku, Fagge LGA; Hon Faisal Lawal, Owerri Municipal LGA; Hon Kabiru Lawal Mada, Gusau LGA; and Hon Bello Lawal, Sabon Gari LGA.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now