Kwara Emerging Leaders (KEL0, has berated the state governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for constituting the Transition Implementation Committee, (TIC) to run the affairs of the local councils in the state.
KEL Convener, Seun Awogbenle described the appointment of TIC by the governor as a gross abuse of executive power and a flagrant violation of a matter that had long been settled by the supreme court.
He noted that governor Abdulrasaq cannot continue to ‘cherry pick’ or select which part of the law to obey, noting that nobody is above the law.
According to Awogbenle, “The legality of state governors removing and, or replacing lawfully elected local government council officials has been clarified by the courts beyond a shadow of doubt- it is illegal/unlawful/unconstitutional. It is symptomatic of a military dictatorial tendency by the very class of people -elected governors- who are the chief beneficiaries of our hard-earned democracy”.
KEL convener said: “It is a naked abuse of power and crass violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, adding that “In the case of Kwara, it is even more confounding that this illegality is being perpetrated by the very people who came on a wave of change. So much for change”.
The convener also said the action of the governor in the appointment of local council caretaker committees is in flagrant violation of the supreme court judgement, which declared the composition of caretaker committees by State governors as unconstitutional, undemocratic, null and void.
“It will be recalled that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) had, in a letter, implored state governments to comply with the provisions of the Constitution with regard to the administration of local governments in line with the judgment of the supreme court. The AGF notified state governments of the illegality of running caretaker committees in place of elected officials at the local governments.
“It is however unfortunate that despite knowing the position of the law regarding the administration of local government councils, Governor Abdulrazaq still carried on with total disregard for the Judiciary and the constitution which he swore to uphold by appointing caretaker committees for the councils.
“The Kwara Emerging Leaders condemns this total disregard for the rule of law, due process and attempt to subvert democratic order.
“We demand the reversal of the appointment of members of the caretaker committees and immediately commence the process to conduct local government elections”.