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The Kwara based non-governmental organization, Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), has berated the State House of Assembly for what they described as the systemic killing of the local government system.
The group made this known in a statement issued and signed by its coordinator, Alagbonsi Abdullateef, Ph.D. said “Against the popular demand of the people, Dandali-led KWHA has prioritized the command of the Governor over the demand of Kwarans. This was done as the Assembly under his leadership have altered section 20(1) of the Law to extend the notice of LG election from 90 days to 360 days as commanded by the Governor.
The statement reads “ENetsud have carefully studied the Kwara State Local Government Electoral (Amendment) Law 2024, which was passed by the Kwara State House of Assembly (KWHA) on 23rd January 2024 and assented to by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on 26th January, 2024.
“Again, the 10th KWHA, just like the 9th KWHA, under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, has shown to be the House of the Governor rather than being the House of the People.
“The people of Kwara State supported the popular advocacy by lovers of democracy, local government (LG) autonomy and the rule of law by insisting that the 90-day notice for LG election in the principal Law should not be changed to 360 days as proposed by the Governor.
“The people of Kwara State had envisaged the bad motive of such extension as proposed by the Governor, which was calculated to delay the conduct of local government election in the state until year 2025 and allow the illegal Transition Implementation Committees (TICs) that have been sacked by the Courts to continue operating our LG system.
“Against the popular demand of the people, Dandali-led KWHA has prioritized the command of the Governor over the demand of Kwarans. This was done as the Assembly under his leadership have altered section 20(1) of the Law to extend the notice of LG election from 90 days to 360 days as commanded by the Governor.
“At ENetSuD, we are worried that the KWHA, albeit elected by the citizens, is an extension of the Governor’s appointed cabinet, as they lack the enthusiasm and charisma to put an end to the wrongdoings of the Governor but only expertise in desperately implementing the undemocratic agenda of the Governor.
“It was the 9th KWHA under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi that masterminded the dissolution of democratically-elected 16 Local Government Councils in the State and paved way for the unlawful appointment of illegal TICs, who have been repeatedly sacked by the Courts but still remained in office by force with impunity.
“It is the same Danladi-led 10th KWHA that the Governor has now used to legalize his sole desire of conducting LG election in year 2025 against the clear and unambiguous judgments of the High and Appeal Courts that the Governor should immediately conduct LG election towards producing a constitutionally-recognized and democratically-elected LG Councils in Kwara State.
“How the KWHA led by Rt. Hon Danladi have been success in killing the LG system conspiratorially with the Governor is alarming, especially as most of the lawmakers came from LGs that are victims of the collapse of the LG system, where the citizens they represent lack access to potable water, education, road, healthcare, electricity, food, among other basic needs.”
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