By Tunde Johnson, Abuja
Abdulmumini Ibrahim, Chairman, Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Kogi State chapter, has condemned the extension of local government administrators’ tenure in the state , describing it as a rape of democracy.
While speaking with journalists in Lokoja, the State capital, Ibrahim said the approval of Governor Yahaya Bello’s request for another six months extension of local government administrators’ tenure by Kogi State House of Assembly is a forcible rape on democracy.
He stated that the extension was unconstitutional and a gang-up against the people of Kogi State.
“Moments like this calls for sober reflection. It grieves my heart to wake up to another dark day of rape on democracy has been continually witnessed under the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
“You will recall that upon his assumption of office last year, Governor Bello appointed local government administrators. Six months later, he asked for an extension and it was granted by the House of Assembly with a condition that he must conduct local government elections within the six months window.
“Today again, we witnessed another act of illegality as he sought for additional six months extension of the administrators’ tenure. This is a rape on democracy. This action is not known to our constitution, it is alien to our electoral act.
“The continuous reign of illegal administrators is an infringement on the constitutional rights of the good people of Kogi state. The Governor has denied us the privilege of going to the field to elect our representatives at the council level,” he said.
Ibrahim called on the Governor to reverse the extension of tenure immediately and announce date for credible local government elections in the state.
“What the Governor has done is an aberration. Anything short of immediate conduct of local government election is unacceptable to the people and our party, the APDA.
“There are court judgments on the illegal caretaker contraption foisted on Kogi people. Our unequivocal demand is for the conduct of local government elections.
“If the state government fails to conduct elections as demanded, we will have no other option than to go to court and seek justice because cannot condone this illegality any longer.
“The local government administration in Kogi state is currently shrouded in secrecy. We don’t know anything about the allocations going to the local government and how our common patrimony is been managed.
“The illegal administrators are not answerable to the people because of they were not elected by the people. We will challenge the actions of the illegal administrators in a competent court. We must seek redress against the anomaly that is reigning perpetually in Kogi state. This illegality is no longer acceptable.
“I symphatise with Kogi State House of Assembly, because the integrity of the legislators has been thrown to the dogs.
“We look at the Assemblymen as the hope of the common man, as the people that will defend democracy and promote good governance in the state but it is unfortunate that the APC-led government in Kogi state is promoting anti-democratic practices,” he stated.
