PDP Chieftain, Onuesoke Decries Political Appointees Campaigning For Elective position
LAGOS MARCH 11TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Chief Sunny Okpako Onuesoke has condemned the situation whereby political office holders are campaigning for election into political offices while still in government appointment.
He advised that political appointees who want to contest election should resign their appointments before indulging in political activities so as not to distract the system or heat the polity. You can not be holding political appointment and the same time using your office to campaign for your self.
Speaking on the back drop of political appointees who are already campaigning while still holding on to their appointments, Onuesoke who spoke to journalists at Asaba, Delta state, argued that governance is bound to suffer as appointed officials are drafted into partisan roles.
Onuesoke, a former Delta State governorship aspirant disclosed that while extant government regulations require that political appointees seeking elective positions should resign from their offices three months to the time, added that there are those who do not seek any elective offices yet play active partisan roles by hiding under a lacuna in the law to compromise their offices to the advantage of their interest.
“You are not suppose to release posters or campaign when you are holding political appointment. Under the constitution of Nigeria, a political office holder cannot combine his or her job with that of party appointment. Accepting party appointment while still holding government office is a clear breach of the oath of office and the oath of allegiance which such person swore in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Such person should resign his office as political appointee before going into political activities,” Onuesoke argued.