****Passes vote of no confidence on JISIEC
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Jigawa State has warned against the attempt by the Jigawa State House Assembly to tamper with the provisions of Section 7(1) of the Construction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to allow the State Government impose caretaker committee chairmen on the people at the 27 local Government of the state
The State chairman of the Party, Ali Idris Diginsa in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday said they would not fold their hands and allow the ruling party to mess up the government at the grassroots that is closer to the people just like it has done at the State level.
Drawing strength from the recent move by the federal Government through its Attorney General who dragged the 36 State Governors before the Supreme Court seeking for full autonomy for the 774 LGs and the supreme Court’s order for them to file their respective defense, Diginsa said, “We are not going to accept any caretaker chairman in the State.
He said, “Attempt made by the Jigawa state House of Assembly to pave away for the Jigawa State government to appoint sole administrators for the 27 Local government councils of Jigawa state is unconstitutional and undemocratic.
“Indeed, the legislative action of the Jigawa state House of Assembly is a calculated attempt to amend the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 7 sub section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which made it mandatory for every Local Government Council in Nigeria to be headed by democratically elected Local government council chairmen.
“And the government of every state shall ensure they exist under the law. Unfortunately that is not the case in Jigawa state, even the so called Jigawa state Independent Electoral Commission has failed in discharging their legal obligation but deliberately refused, neglected and violated its own law that mandated her to publish a timetable for new local government councils election, not later than 90 days to the expiration of the tenure of office of the current local government councils as provided by the provisions of section 64(1) of the Jigawa state Independent Electoral Commission Law without any legal justification.
He explained that the inaction of the Commission to do the needful left us with no other option than to pass a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the Commission and urge the Jigawa state government to dissolve it forthwith and to appoint capable hands that can organize council elections immediately.
He said failure to do that the party(PDP) will take legal action to enforce the entrenched provisions of the Constitution against the Jigawa state Government , Jigawa state House of Assembly and the Jigawa state Independent Electoral Commission.
“We have passed a vote of no confidence on JISIEC and the Governor is not practicing proper democracy because he has ignored the constitution and the State assembly by doing what is antithetical to the provisions of the constitution. The Governor after one year has nothing to show, he has wasted resources in renovating grave yards and public toilets in the State.
“We have written a letter to them and they have not replied us and that is why they have amended the law and they are going to dissolve the Local Government and set up caretaker committee chairmen and we are calling on them to organize elections before the tenure of the current occupants of the local government councils expires immediately.
“They should retrace their steps and conduct Local Government Elections at the expiration of the tenure of the current LG chairmen.
From John Akubo, Abuja
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Jigawa State has warned against the attempt by the Jigawa State House Assembly to tamper with the provisions of Section 7(1) of the Construction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to allow the State Government impose caretaker committee chairmen on the people at the 27 local Government of the state
The State chairman of the Party, Ali Idris Diginsa in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday said they would not fold their hands and allow the ruling party to mess up the government at the grassroots that is closer to the people just like it has done at the State level.
Drawing strength from the recent move by the federal Government through its Attorney General who dragged the 36 State Governors before the Supreme Court seeking for full autonomy for the 774 LGs and the supreme Court’s order for them to file their respective defense, Diginsa said, “We are not going to accept any caretaker chairman in the State.
He said, “Attempt made by the Jigawa state House of Assembly to pave away for the Jigawa State government to appoint sole administrators for the 27 Local government councils of Jigawa state is unconstitutional and undemocratic.
“Indeed, the legislative action of the Jigawa state House of Assembly is a calculated attempt to amend the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 7 sub section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which made it mandatory for every Local Government Council in Nigeria to be headed by democratically elected Local government council chairmen.
“And the government of every state shall ensure they exist under the law. Unfortunately that is not the case in Jigawa state, even the so called Jigawa state Independent Electoral Commission has failed in discharging their legal obligation but deliberately refused, neglected and violated its own law that mandated her to publish a timetable for new local government councils election, not later than 90 days to the expiration of the tenure of office of the current local government councils as provided by the provisions of section 64(1) of the Jigawa state Independent Electoral Commission Law without any legal justification.
He explained that the inaction of the Commission to do the needful left us with no other option than to pass a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the Commission and urge the Jigawa state government to dissolve it forthwith and to appoint capable hands that can organize council elections immediately.
He said failure to do that the party(PDP) will take legal action to enforce the entrenched provisions of the Constitution against the Jigawa state Government , Jigawa state House of Assembly and the Jigawa state Independent Electoral Commission.
“We have passed a vote of no confidence on JISIEC and the Governor is not practicing proper democracy because he has ignored the constitution and the State assembly by doing what is antithetical to the provisions of the constitution. The Governor after one year has nothing to show, he has wasted resources in renovating grave yards and public toilets in the State.
“We have written a letter to them and they have not replied us and that is why they have amended the law and they are going to dissolve the Local Government and set up caretaker committee chairmen and we are calling on them to organize elections before the tenure of the current occupants of the local government councils expires immediately.
“They should retrace their steps and conduct Local Government Elections at the expiration of the tenure of the current LG chairmen.