As the recent dissolution of the Moses Ogbe led Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), continues to generate controversy within and outside the state, the Executive Director, Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, (CENTREP), Oghenejabor Ikimi, Esq., has faulted Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s plan to repeal the commission law and some aspects of the state local government law, 2013, less than a month to the end of the tenure of the current chairmen and councilors in the 25 councils in the State.
The human rights lawyer, in a press release obtained by HardReporters, described the governor’s moves as nothing but a criminal conspiracy between the state executive and the State legislature to deny, overthrow and rob the people of democracy at the grass root by illegally imposing caretaker committees or appointing Heads of Personnel on the people, threatening to institute a legal action against the governor, the State Attorney General and the Delta State House of Assembly for the proper interpretation of section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The press release read thus:
“My attention has been drawn to the recent executive bill sent by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the Delta State House of Assembly to repeal the State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), Law 2012 and some aspects of the State Local Government Law, 2013 less than a month to the expiration of the existing tenure of the democratically elected Chairmen and Councilors in the 25 Local Government Councils in the State and I state without mincing words that the above move by the State Governor is nothing but a criminal conspiracy between the State Executive and the State Legislature to deny, overthrow and rob the people of democracy at the grass root by illegally imposing Caretaker Committees or appointing Heads of Personnel on the people to run the affairs of the 25 Local Government Councils in the State in violation of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended states that the system of Local Government by democratically elected Local Government Councils is guaranteed, hence my decision to institute an originating summons in the Delta State High Court against the Delta State Governor, the State Attorney General and the Delta State House of Assembly for the proper interpretation of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended should they decide to deny, overthrow and rob the people at the grass root of democracy in the 25 Local Government Councils in the State by imposing undemocratic structures on the people.
“I make bold to say that if Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was really serious about ensuring the continuity of democracy at the third tier of Government in the State, he should have done the needful by sending the above bills to the State House of Assembly long before the tenure of the present crop of elected Chairmen and Councilors in the 25 Local Government Councils would have expired.
“It is indeed sad that since the inception of our present Democracy in May 29, 1999 the people of the State at the grass root are yet to witness any meaningful development in their various Council Areas owing to the undemocratic manner the third tier of Government has been operated most times by the State Government as a mere Government department thus my numerous calls for the autonomy of all the 774 Local Government Councils nationwide. I therefore use this medium to call on the State Government to urgently set in motion measures aimed at democratizing the 25 Local Government Councils in the State before the expiration of the present tenure of her democratically elected Chairmen and Councilors.” it added.
