APC threatens to sue Bauchi govt over appointment of LG caretaker chairmen

THE Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it will institute a legal action against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led state government over the recent appointment of caretaker committee chairmen for the 20 local government councils in the state. Governor Yuguda had through a letter dated June 27, addressed to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Right Honourable Muhammed Yahaya Miya, sent the names of the new caretaker chairmen to the House for screening and confirmation. The letter, which was read on the floor of the House last Monday, generated heated debate as the Minority Leader, Honourable Baba Abubakar Suleiman, vehemently opposed the appointment of another set of caretaker chairmen in the state, arguing that the continuous refusal to conduct local government election in the state since the last was held in 2008 was undemocratic. The House, however, confirmed the appointment of the 20 nominees at its sitting on Tuesday. They were subsequently sworn in by the state governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, Tuesday evening. Reacting to the development while speaking to newsmen in Bauchi, on Wednesday, APC state chairman, Honourable Uba Ahmed Nana, stated that the appointments were null, void and ultra vires, adding that party would approach the court on the issue, with a view to stopping the government’s action through court process. He stated that the measure was to rescue the people of the state from the ruling party, as well as to safeguard the country’s nascent democracy from being hijacked by selfish politicians. According to Nana, the local government law, which was passed by the state House of Assembly did not permit the executive arm of government to continue to appoint caretaker committees in all the 20 local government areas, saying that government ought to conduct elections to allow people to elect their leaders at the third tier of government in the state. He stated that in view of this, the APC in the state rejected the recent appointment of council caretakers chairmen and called on the state government to immediately conduct elections into the councils, as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and in accordance with the local government law enacted by the state House of Assembly. “Peace, progress and sustenance of democracy can best be achieved through adherence to the rule of law and provisions of the constitution of Nigeria, which is supreme to any law promulgated by every state,” said Nana.