The member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Ogene, has condemned the use of transition committees by Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to administer the 21 local government areas in the state.
Soludo had at the weekend issued a circular through the commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Matters, Hon Tonycollins Nwabunwanne for all the transition committee chairmen of local governments to hand over to their administrators.
But Ogene in a press release said Soludo has no plans to conduct local government elections, but plans to appoint another set of administrators.
Ogene, who is the Labour Party’s House of Representatives Caucus Leader said: “Records show that Governor Soludo changes LGA Transition Committee members every three months, and has therefore, made these curious changes seven times since assumption of office in 2022.
“By the time he makes another of such change this month, that would be the 8th time within two years in office.
“That to me, would be an inglorious record by a democratically elected governor. This puppeteering style of leadership, which toys with the destiny, aspiration and desires of the grassroots, must be resisted and not allowed to continue to shrink the development potential of the LGAs.
“The local government ought to be the most important tier of government, as envisaged by the Nigerian Constitution, because it’s not only the tier that is closest to the people, it is also the obvious foundation of both the subnational and the federal government. And should not be at the whims of state governors.
“Such undemocratic practice of appointing LGA administrators, rather that democratic election, is an enabler of impunity and lack of democratic accountability and also hurts transparency in the local governments and the state as a whole, as those so appointed would only scramble for personal interests during the three months of their stay in office.
“This does not help the management of scarce resources or the development of the LGAs.”
“What manner of meaningful development plan would a TC chairman articulate and execute within a period of three months? Isn’t it troubling that Governor Soludo, a prominent economist, is promoting this charade?
“What really is Governor Soludo afraid of in conducting elections in the LGAs, in line with his campaign promises and the desires of the people in the grassroots and provisions of the Constitution?” The lawmaker queried.
David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
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