By Oghenekevwe Laba, Lagos
Barely two months after the inauguration of members of Delta State Local Government Caretaker Committee, Delta State Social Democratic Mega Party(SDMP) with an unflinching support from its National Headquarters Abuja has frowned at the newly constituted Local Government Caretaker Committee in Delta State, threatening to drag the State government to court if a genuine local government election was not conducted in the state within a month.
Delta State SDMP Chairman who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Association of Registered Political Parties(ARPP)Delta State, Oke Idawene said the Constitution of the Nigeria is clear on the status of the three tiers of Government, adding that Local government tier which is meant for the rural and grassroots people cannot be truncated, hindered or overlooked.
According to Idawene, “The LGA elections must be held just as the case of Federal and State levels are held. The Chairmen and Councilors of local government council must be duly elected and officially sworn in after due democratic process.”
Idawene argued that the current situation with respect to the present status of Local Government in Delta State cannot be overemphasized, stressing that it is either the correct thing is done in Delta State or they would drag the state government to court over appointment of caretaker committee without following the due process.
“The Edo state case is a typical example. Besides, if Governor Dickson of Bayelsa State can fix a definite election dates for local government election after few months in office, the Delta state Governor has no justification to appoint a caretaker committee. We should emulate good things by sticking to the rule of law rather than abuse the law,” Idawene advised, just as he maintained that SDMP has vehemently resisted the imposition of caretaker committee on the people especially without a definite date of elections in the state.
He disclosed that his party has put sound machinery in appropriate quarters to stop the continuous release of Federal Allocation funds to Delta state LGAs until elections are conducted for a better Delta State.
He equally disclosed that Association of Registered Political Parties has made their intention known that they would not hesitate to join the suit if the Delta State Governor did not do the right thing by fixing a date for the conduction of election.