From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Gov Bello
The Executive Director, Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution ( CHRCR) in Kogi state, Comrade Idris Miliki has condemned Governor Yahaya Bello’s action for the non -conduct of election into the Local Governments in the state for more than three years describing the development as illegal , corrupt and unacceptable to the people of the state.
The Executive Director who expressed regret over the illegality on Tuesday in Lokoja at one day quarterly review meeting for media and CSOs organised by the centre in partnership with Shehu Musa Yaradua Foundation said this is capable of frustrating the federal government good intention to give direct allocation to local government councils across the country to end the tendency of state governors tempering with their funds.
Miliki noted that the government has deliberately denied the people the rights to freely choose those who govern them at the local level called on the citizenry to join hands to put pressure the government to honour the constitutional provisions of periodic elections into the Council Areas across the country.
He decried the actions of the government who decided not to send the names of the Administrators to state Assembly for confirmation when their last extension expired two months ago, adding that actions taken by administrators are null and void and amount to fraud and corruption against the people.
He blamed the members of the state Assembly for their connivance with the government to jettison the conduct of local government elections, stressing that the usual excuse of paucity of fund is unacceptable as the Councils have collected billions of naira from the Federation Account.
The Activist described as unfortunate the absence of budget for the local government areas in the state for consideration by the state house of assembly in the last three years, saying the silence by the executive and legislative arms is corruption, not acceptable most especially that it has received and appropriated funds for other items without given the conduct of local government elections a priority.
