PDP vows to participate in Ondo LG polls, tasks Akeredolu on fairness

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State chapter on Thursday disclosed its readiness to participate in the forthcoming local government election in the state.

According to the party, its decision to be on the ballot on December 16, 2023 Local Government election was hinged on the inefficiencies that now abound in 18 local government areas of the state.

Fatai Adams, the state party Chairman, asserted that PDP will be fielding tried-and-true community persons who are knowledgeable about local issues at the grassroots level, adding that boycotting has never aided anyone.

At a recent gathering of stakeholders at its secretariat, Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Council the Chairman of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, Dr. Joseph Aremu, had revealed the upcoming election.

Adams emphasised that the local government, which is the state’s third level of administration, has been paralysed but insisted that this was not the case when the PDP was in power.

The party also appealed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to ensure fairness among all parties that will be participating in the polls.

“This time around, APC will be resisted by the grassroot people who have been bearing the brunt of inept, colourless, unenviable, dry and retrogressive governance at that very important layer of government.

“We are passionately appealing to the chairman and other members of the Commission to always act on the side of the people bearing in mind that their Commission is being financed by the taxpayers’ money and not from the APC government which merely appointed them.”

Tinubu, APC can’t dictate who leads 10th National Assembly - Hon. Chika

By Christiana Ekpa

Aformer member of the House of Representatives, Abubakar Chika has faulted the decision of the ruling

All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt specific persons as its choice of presiding officers of the 10th House of Representatives, stressing that neither the President nor the party has the right to dictate who should lead the 10th National Assembly.

Chika, a member of the 8th House from Niger State, in a television interview monitored on Arise TV, said the parliament is an independent arm of government in a democracy, and should be accorded such status under the principle of separation of power.

“We have three arms of government which is the executive, legislative and the judiciary, on no ground should the executive say it has appointed the Chief Justice of the Federation, the law allows him to nominate but after getting it from the National Judicial Council. However, the legislature is an independent body and they must choose among themselves.

“Neither the President nor the party have the right to dictate who should lead the National Assembly. The National Assembly like any other arms of government is independent to decide who will lead as an arm of government, so I don’t see any reason that either the party or anyone will micro zone or nanozone, so you can’t microzone the legislature. This is undemocratic and very dangerous to democracy and I don’t think this will fly.

“I have been speaking about the injustice we have been having within the APC and it is not because I have an interest in Aliyu Betara but because I am speaking as a former legislator, who don’t want to see that arm of government being bastardized in dictatorship. APC has been cantankerous because of the advice that has been coming from so many quarters.

“You can see even in terms of sharing how that seat of legislature should be shared. How did you exclude the North Central, so I think it is a biased thing, somebody just think I must make this person whether he is going to cover up for me”, he said.

“But I think the Presidentelect is an honourable man and should think beyond Lagos State, this is Nigeria and not Lagos State House of Assembly and we have a National Assembly consisting of people from everywhere and with different characters.

“APC should know that they do not have the majority, particular in House of Representatives, the minority is greater in number and with that you cannot dictate, the law did not say APC member-elect must be the Speaker, but the law says, member must choose among themselves, so if APC becomes very careless as a single party, even as a majority, other people will take it up.

“So APC should have a rethink because the manner by which we are going, we are not in a military administration, we are in a democratic administration. If you cannot allow zoning to take place, because you want to balance certain things, then you cannot nanozone the position of the National Assembly, this is carelessness. And Mr President, if you want to govern well, you should be able to take a stand right now.”