The newly registered Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has called for a legislation that would outlaw appointed administrators from running local government councils in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UPN call was coming on the backdrop of agitations in some states over the reluctance by their governments to enthrone democratically elected persons to the councils.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the party’s UPN National Chairman, Dr Federick Faseun said that democracy in Nigeria would not be complete without properly elected council officials in place.
“Some state governors in the South West have been violating the laws of the land because they hold sway and believe they cannot be penalised.
“It is immoral, unconstitutional and ungodly” Faseun said.
He lamented that the local government administrative structure in Ekiti and Osun states had continued to be run under unelected administrators.
“This is contrary to constitutional stipulations in Section 7 (1) of the 1999 constitution.
“The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this constitution guarantee.
“The government of every state shall, subject to section 8 of this constitution, ensure their existence under a law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.
“The governments of Osun and Ekiti states have failed in this regard. We demand that local government elections be held immediately in these states and others that are yet to put democratic structures in place at the level” Faseun said.
He urged the outgoing governor of Ekiti, Mr Kayode Fayemi, to immediately stop all his current moves to create new councils in the state.
According to him, the Ekiti Governor should concentrate on making provisions for the state electoral commission to conduct local government elections before his October handover date.
On the upcoming governorship election in Osun, Faseun reiterated the commitment of his party to participate in the election.
He faulted the recommendations of the National Confab for 18 new states to be created in Nigeria.
“I fault across the board state creation for even people who do not need more states. New states should have been aimed at righting the wrongs for regions that were shortchanged” he said. (NAN)
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