By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi state branch of Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has rejected the appointment of the 21 local council sole administrators in Kebbi state.
The delegation led by the state chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammed, on advocacy visit to the leadership of Kebbi State House of Assembly, on Tuesday demanded explanation from the lawmakers as to why instead of conducting local governments elections at the expiration of two-year tenure of elected chairmen, but the state appointed sole administrators.
He contend that such actions are injurious to democratic settings and a flagrant denials of the opposition parties existing in the state to participate in elections at the end of every two-year tenure.
While describing political parties as ingredients of democracy, he chided the government over her refusal to conduct local council polls as required by the law. “We vehemently reject the appointment of local council sole administrators in Kebbi state.”
The IPAC chief who expressed dissatisfaction with the law which permits the state governors to appoint local governments’ sole administrators described it as anti-people and morally improper for governors to rely on the law to refuse to conduct elections saying elongated political tenure may trigger chaos as seen in one African country recently.
Responding, the Kebbi State Speaker, Muhammadu Usman Zuru, said the state government acted within the ambit of the law, siting 2018 law which permits the state governors to appoint sole administrators in event where the state electoral body is not prepared for elections.
Zuru told IPAC delegations that the law is not yet amended but is subject to review in order to meet public demands, which will be subjected to public opinion and contributions when the time comes.