The Mega People’s Progressive Party, MPPP governorship candidate in the last 2011 election, Chief Afro Biukeme has accused Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of deceiving the public over his intention to conduct local government elections soon, threatening to go to court if the process of conducting local government election, do not begin in the next two weeks.
He told the Urhobo Times that under Governor Uduaghan’s rule, democracy was destroyed at the local government level as in last two years popular parties, as the local level were not allowed to direct affairs at that level. \”Uduaghan\’s government is horrible. He wants to control our wards. Under his rule and that of President Jonathan, democracy at the grassroots level has been destroyed.
Chief Biukeme claimed that the Uduaghan administration was wasting the resource of the state, as there is nothing much to show for the vast revenue allocation coming to the state. \”People are suffering and hungry and Uduaghan is talking about beautification, building roundabouts that had become refuse dumps due to lack of maintain.
Meanwhile, the Delta Force Political Group has commended, Chief Biukeme for his steadfastness in the struggle for democracy at the grassroots level.
The group led by Mr. Abiakpo Tukus called on Gov. Uduaghan and President Jonathan to give due recognition to Chief Biukeme and carry him along in all their programmes.
Last year, eight political parties in Delta State have dragged Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to Federal High Court in Asaba to explain his failure to conduct the council\’s election and alleged withholding of the council\’s funds in the last few years.
In a Suit No. FHC/ASB/CS/23/12 dated February 28th, 2012, the defendants which include the Accountant-General of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Revenue Mobilization and Allocation Committee (RMFAC) Delta State Governor, Attorney General of the state including all directors of personnel management in the 25 councils, the plaintiffs are seeking court declaration that the running / administration of local government in the 25 councils in the state in the last few years, is illegal and unconstitutional.
A declaration of the court that the fourth defendant, (Governor of Delta State) act of releasing monetary allocations to the 6th to 28th defendants (DPM) was illegal and unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order restraining the 1st, and 3rd defendants from further disbursement of fund/allocation to local government councils and DPMs, pending the emergence of democratically elected chairmen in all the council\’s areas in the state. In the suit, the plaintiffs want a court order mandating the Governor to conduct election to the local government councils in Delta State with immediate effect. The development last year may have led the government to constitute a LG caretaker committees and the sending of names of a 10-member Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, (DSIEC) to the House of Assembly. They were Mr. Akpoyama Moses Ogbe as Chairman while Mr. David Johnson, Mr. Ewere Eluebo, Chief John Ulebe, Dr. Emibra Agbeotu, Mr. Bright Igbako, Mr. Anthony Obi, Mrs. Suzan Babajide, Mr. Jude Emurotu and Mr. Peter Okpu are proposed members. Mr. Ogbe, was a resident electoral commissioner, REC, Lagos State where the Action Congress of Nigeria (A.C.N) defeated their strongest rivals, the PDP from the Governorship to the legislative elections.
After disqualifying two members of the DSIEC, nothing has been heard from the so-called electoral body on the preparation for local government elections which seemed to indicate that the government has no intention of conducting local government elections in the nearest future.
Comedians have now started to make a mockery of the state government various statement on its intention to conduct local government elections soon. A Chairmanship aspirant of the ruling party was said to have spent about N10 million preparing for the “forthcoming local government elections” which they had since discovered to be a mirage.
Source: Urhobotimes