The Senate has asked the federal government to deny allocations to local governments where the chairmen were selected by the state governor......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
This resolution was adopted on Thursday after the Senate Minority leader, Sen. Abba Moro, raised concern over what he describes as sham local government elections conducted on Saturday, 5th October 2024, and the abuse of the Constitution.
Moro alleged that in most places, elections took place in the private homes of the chieftains of the ruling party, making the entire process a mere coronation of candidates of the ruling party and not a proper election contemplated under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Across party lines, the co-sponsors unanimously concurred that there was no election in Benue.
In the ensuing debate, other lawmakers further expressed worry over the lack of transparency and fairness in local government elections, citing examples in Rivers, Edo, Oyo, Akwa Ibom etc. in addition to Benue.
The upper chamber also condemned the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission’s blatant disregard for democratic principles in the sham local government elections of Saturday, October 5.
Lawmakers also asked the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct elections in those place where elections were not held and allow the people to choose the representatives of their choice.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, also mooted the idea of a national dialogue with a view to changing the narrative.
He maintained that the sham of LG elections transcends party lines, asserting that the National Assembly is poised to change the situation for the better.
