…As hundreds of LP supporters protest non conduct of LG polls
Concerned Labour Party stakeholders have called by on Gov. Douye Diri and the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission, BYSIEC to put necessary machineries in place towards conducting local government electoin to guarantee the people the dividends of democravy.
Speaking during a press briefing Thursday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Hon. Christopher Timi-Ogosi noted that the inability of Prosperity Government led Douye Diri not to conduct local government electoins amounts to denial of the peoples’ political rights to participate and take control of the political process at the local level.
According to Timi- Ogosi, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria created local government as third tier of government which guarantee its democracy to enable it function optimally and wondered the undue interference in the local government democracy to the detriment of the people.
He therefore called for the amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in order to guarantee political and democratic autonomy of the local government councils.
Ogosi said: ” The delay by BYSIEC to conduct the elections is in variance with section 26(A) of the Electoral Act and it is illegal for non-elected persons to occupy council positions, administer and appropriate local government funds, as this hampers grassroot development.
” I therefore call for an end to this Local Government kleptocracy, a system in which those who govern steal from the governed, however, while local government corruption is a
global problem not unique to Nigeria, it is nevertheless crucial to address.
” Facts have also emerged that
the Federation Account paid 3.52billion naira to each of the 8 LGAs in Bayelsa state as refund to Local Government Councils on withdrawals for subsidy and SURE-P from 2009 to 2015.
” We therefore want the state governor in the spirit of transparency, to tell us the whereabout of the money meant for the development of the local government areas, as there are no elected chairmen.
” We also call on the Federal Government to prevail on the Bayelsa state government to account for the 28.16 billion naira refunds for the 8 Local Government Areas in the state for
subsidy and SURE-P from 2004-2019.
” We call for the conduct of the local government elections to enable the new chairmen access the funds in order to fast track development in the areas, and we warn that any attempt not to give a level playing field to all Political parties and their candidates for the forthcoming Local Government elections.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of Labour Party supporters have taken to the streets of Yenagoa to protest the non conduct of the local government electoins in Bayelsa State.
The protesters who shanted solidarity songs in support of Hon. Christopher Timi- Ogosi, Labour Party chairmanship candidate for Sagbama local Government Area and the Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi carried placates with the inscriptions such ” Gov. Diri respect the law that brought you into power. Conduct local government electoins”, Give us date to conduct local government electoins”, ” Allow the masses to elect their choice at the local government level amongst others ”
Speaking to newsmen during the protest, Comrade Stephen Morris, Sagbama Labour Party Secretary said they are expressing their pains and dissatisfaction to the state Governor over the non conduct of the local government electoins.
Morris stated that as a former federal lawmaker who knows the law and a leader who knows the importance of the local councils to development, Diri should put the necessary modalities in place to conduct the electoin without delay.
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