Opposition parties threaten to sue Dakingari over LG tenure extension

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The Conference of Political Parties in Kebbi (CNPP) consisting of APGA, MPPP, PDC, DPP, UPP, PPA, NCP, ACPN, LP, SDC, ADC, ID, UDP, NNPP, KOWA Party and CPP has warned that if Governor Saidu Dakingari dares extend the tenure of local government councils in the state beyond the 2 years as specified by law, the parties would head straight to court to challenge the extension.

The warning came through the spokesperson of the parties, Alh Ibrahim Mohammed, who is also the chairman of the National Conscious Party (NCP) while briefing newsmen shortly after their meeting in Birnin Kebbi weekend.

Mohammed alleged that the ruling PDP leadership in the state and the local government chairmen were seriously lobbying and mounting pressure on Governor Dakingari to extend their tenure beyond 15 September, thereby extending their tenure from two years to three years.

This is even as the CNPP further alleged that Dakingari is seeking to achieve the feat by directing the state legislature to amend the existing law which provided for only two-year term for the local councils.

‘’ When we partake in the last local government election, the authority concerned clearly stated to us, I mean all political parties, that the tenure or duration for local councils is two years, why should the incumbent chairmen and Kebbi government now want to break the law and extend their tenure by an additional one year?’’ , he queried.

He also warned that the opposition parties will not condone or accept caretaker committees or sole administrators to man local governments but demanded that the government should conduct free and fair election in September this year.

It will be recalled that the tenure of incumbent local government council chairmen in Kebbi state will expire in September, 15 this year but there is strong indication that election into the local councils may not hold as the council chairmen are working hard for an extension.

In a related development, the All Progressives Congress [APC], Kebbi state chapter has also threatened to sue Governor Dakingari over his failure to dissolve the 21 local government chairmen on 15th September, stressing that they are ready to take the state government before the courts.

Addressing newsmen at the party office, the spokesman of the party, Alhjai Sani Dodo who expressed dismay over the issue, added that the present chairmen should know that their tenure has expired and that a fresh election must be conducted.

‘’We heard that they are lobbying to ensure that they extend their tenure, if the government do that then the opposition parties have all the right to challenge them in court’’ he stated.