Sokoto Governor swears in new LG Chairmen

….charges them against truancy

By Musa Baba Adamu

Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State swore in the newly elected Local Government Council Chairmen yesterday, urging them to stay within their domains.
The Governor warned the new LG Chairmen to always be accessible to their subjects, adding that the government will not tolerate acts of inaccessibility, indolence and laxity to work.
He said, “Gone are those days when the local government Chairmen would abandon their domains for hotel rooms.
“Any local government Chairman found flouting these directives would be dealt with severely”, he warned.
The Governor further directed the newly sworn-in chairmen to ensure regular meetings with the relevant security outfits in their local government areas to devise means of addressing the current security challenges in their areas.
“Remember that tackling security challenges is one of our 9-point Smart Agenda, so give security all the desired attention”, he added.
Aliyu also restated his administration’s determination to fully secure the state and called for community-sustained support and prayers from all and sundry.
The Governor also directed the Chairmen to immediately comply with the Code of Conduct Laws.
He also reminded them to devise more ways to improve their internally generated revenue to have enough funds to meet the expectations of their subjects.
Aliyu warned the local government Chairmen against pilfering with public funds, adding that zero-tolerance for corruption must be observed in all the Local government areas of the state.
He appealed to the people of the state to continue to offer fervent prayers for Allah’s guidance and protection for the present administration.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Ibrahim Dadi Adare, assured that the Ministry would ensure that an induction course is organized for the newly sworn-in local government Chairmen to acquaint them with the workings of the local government councils.
He appealed to all registered voters in the state to come out to vote for the party and the candidate of their choice.
Yakubu also assured that the Commission would protect the integrity of the process and uphold the choice made by the electorate.
“There is no doubt that Wike’s threat is nothing but reckless and indecorous, coming from someone who has benefited immensely from PDP, the party he openly worked against its interests in the 2023 presidential election when he supported the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. In our view, there is nothing more anti-party activity than this.
“It is in view of this and other known anti-party activities of the former Rivers governor, that we not only back his invitation to face PDP Disciplinary Committee but also call on the National Working Committee of the party to urgently sanction Wike by either suspending him or giving him an outright expulsion from PDP before he causes further havoc on the party ahead of the 2027 general election,” the statement reads in part.
It further stated that the FCT Minister’s threat poses danger not only to PDP’s unity across the country but also Nigeria’s peace and stability adding that the founding fathers of the main opposition party never found the party to be turned to a tool of manipulation by any of its members in the country.
According to the group, “PDP as a political party is bigger than any individual, no matter how highly placed such a person may be.
“We strongly believe that the founding fathers of the party had never intended that it would become a tool of manipulation by any member of the PDP. We are bold to say that Wike’s excesses are too much and the same cannot be continuously tolerated any further.”
While commending the PDP Governors’ Forum for it stance in ensuring that PDP structure be returned to the Rivers State governor, the group stated that those who assiduously worked to make Wike governor between 2015 and 2023 never hijacked the party structure from him but rather allowed him to assume the leadership of the party in the state.
The group then warned the FCT Minister not to do anything to cause any turmoil in Bauchi State, which it submitted is the most peaceful state in the entire North-East zone.
“Governor Bala Mohammed-led PDP administration in Bauchi State has in the last five years worked hard to maintain peace, security and development in the state. The likes of Wike are not wanted in Bauchi State. The state deserves its peace for its development to continue unabated.”