Gov Godwin Obaseki
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
The main opposition political party: All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State has threatened to take Governor Godwin Obaseki to Court if he fails to immediately reverse himself on the appointment of Liaison officers for the Local Government Councils.
The Party speaking through its State Publicity Secretary, Peter Enoserogbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq on Monday, in reaction to the Governor’s recent appointment and inauguration of Liaison officers for the 18 local Government Councils of the State; said “Edo has once again been thrown into a state of political quaqmire by the unconstitutional act of Governor Obaseki.”
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Describing the appointment as illegal and bizarre, the APC said Nigeria is practicing a functional democracy which means all the tiers of Government are to be manned by people who are democratically elected.
It noted that since 2019, Edo State has not in place a democratically elected officials at the local Government Councils, contrary to the provision of the nation’s 1999 Constitution as amended.
There is no vacuum in Government and what this implies is that once the tenure of an administration is coming to an end, the right thing to do is to conduct an election to enable a smooth and seemless transition of power to the next democratically elected officials.
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The Obaseki’s administration had severally scheduled the local Government Councils election without any positive result.
And each time he does this, APC had always been on the watch for the Governor’s sincerity to match words with the expected action.
The last time he made the attempt to conducting the election, APC did observed that the Governor was only on a picnic to hurt Edo people as there was no provision for it in the fiscal budget of the year.
The Obaseki’s administration has hoodwinked Edo people to the extent that what we had never experienced in the political history of Nigeria, is being practiced in the State.
We are not in a military era wherein through a fiat the Government appoint people to man the local Government Councils with the nomenclature of Liaison officers.
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The Party pointed out that nowhere in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the nomenclature of Liaison officers for the Local Government Councils exist.
“Hence it is a legal aberration, unconstitutional, it is an affront on democratic practice in Nigeria and Edo people are worried where the Obaseki’s led PDP administration is leading them.”
The APC expressed the fear that under the Obaseki’s PDP administration, Edo State is steadily sliding into a state of political dictatorship.
“It is most uncalled for, unbearable and may further plunge the people into unwholesome situation of pain and poverty.
“If the Nigeria Constitution did not make provision for Liaison officers for the Local Government Councils; so where is Governor Obaseki drawing his authority and power from to so do?”
The actions of Obaseki have repeatedly indicated that it was a mistake for Edo people to had voted him as the Governor, the APC pointed out.
“APC as a Party is again saying here therefore; that we detest the too many anti people and undemocratic actions of the Obaseki led PDP administration, particularly the latest appointment of Liaison officers for the 18 Local Government Councils of Edo State.
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“It is not only illegal, but we ask that forthwith, the Governor should reverse himself and immediately put a process in place to conducting election into the local Government Councils, so that the integrity of democratic practice would be restored in Edo State.
“Otherwise, we will not fail as a Party to approach the Courts to give legal interpretation to the latest action of the Governor in Edo State.
“We are already putting our legal team together and in no distant time if the Governor fail to reverse the ugly trend he has foisted on Edo people, we will approach the Courts for legal interpretation.”
The Party however appeal to the people of the State to remain calm, in the face of the prevailing ugly situation as it is working on the legal means to breaking the shackle of political dictatorship, been foisted on the State by the Obaseki’s administration.
