The Oyo State Chapter of Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has rejected tenure elongation for Caretaker Chairmen of the State’s Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas, describing it as extension of illegality and impunity.
The Pacesetter News reports that the tenure of the council bosses was extended for another three months on 18th December 2020.
The SPN, in a press statement signed by its State Secretary – Comrade Ayodeji Adigun, there is nothing significant in term of improvement both in the infrastructure and living condition of the people that can be said that the regime of the so-called caretaker chairmen have attracted to their council areas. It noted that virtually all the intra local government roads in the state continue to be in deplorable conditions while most local council secretariats remain desolate and redundant.
The statement read in parts:
“Again, the claim that there was no petition that could warrant the removal of caretaker chairmen barely a month after 13 caretaker chairmen were suspended for financial misappropriation by the same Oyo State house of assembly, though later reinstated, is laughable. Even if there was no petition that warrants their removal, the fact that they are not a product of democratic election shows that their existence as the head of the local government administration is an absolute breach and infraction of the necessary provision of the constitution which stipulates among other things that the system of local government must be governed by chairmen and chancellors who must be democratically elected by the people. Therefore their tenure elongation an extension of illegality and impunity”.
“In fact the decision by Engr Seyi Makinde-led government to request the tenure elongation for the caretaker chairmen in the first instance exposes the lack of will and zeal by the regime like the discredited late Senator Abiola Ajimobi/APC-led government to conduct the democratic local government election. The plan by the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government is to continue to fasten its grip over the funds accrued to local councils which could have been used to carry out some developmental projects including meaningful improvement in both the life of workers and people in the respective local government areas through its appointed caretakers chairmen without any form of accountability to the people”.
“It is in the light of this, SPN rejects the tenure elongation for the unlawful LGA and LCDA caretaker chairmen and demands a free, fair and democratically-organized election into the 33 Local Councils recognized by constitution with an immediate disbandment of the illegally established 38 LCDA. This will no doubt require the reconstitution of the Oyo State Independent Electoral commission, OYSIEC to comprise the elected representatives of trade unions, credible civil society organizations and political parties”
“However, we also recognize how difficult or impossible for the Seyi makinde-led government like other previous pro-capitalist governments in the state to comply with this kind of proposal. This is because it is a government that was formed through a coalition of pro-capitalist political parties and exists for self-serving interests of a few bourgeois politicians and business associates. Under this kind of situation it is obvious that the political position will definitely be shared among members of political parties that are involved in the so called coalition”.
“It is in the light of this, we call on labour and mass organizations including Nigeria Bar Association, NBA and student bodies to join us in SPN in the call on the Engr. Seyi Makinde-led government to respect the democratic rights of the people at the local government level to truly elect their political representatives. We also call on workers, youth and the poor masses to join and support the SPN and help build it as a strong party that is capable of defeating all anti-poor political parties including the APC and PDP and form a government that will, on the basis of socialist plan, use human and material resources of the society for the benefit of all” the statement concluded.
