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Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished people of Kogi State, if you are still sleeping it is time to wake up. Society cannot be progressing with sleeping and intellectual giants. “I do not consider it intellectual to wait until one occupy political positions before one disagree or agree on some policies of the government in any country, state and local government levels.
Ban Ki-moon said and I quote; “Building sustainable cities – and a sustainable future – will need open dialogue among all branches of national, regional and local government. And it will need the engagement of all stakeholders – including the private sector and civil society, and especially the poor and marginalized.”
I am pieced up by the ignorance of many who place their personal ambition before the peoples’ welfare. OGO’OGU MARK DAUDA can’t stand them. I don’t know about you, but I am convinced they have nothing to offer you yet vying for political office and they are ready to call white black for the sake of their interest. No public office is expected to be manned by such people unless we want to repeat the formal.
Recently the state government extended the tenure of the 21 local government administrators of Kogi state by another six(6) months. When the news came to me I was pieced up and I began to spend quality time with the constitution of FRN and also seek counsel from my lawyer. Follow me, let dissect this issue.
Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Rep of Nigeria provides for democratically elected Chairmen to administer local councils. The Constitution does not recognize Caretaker Committees that are normally appointed by some Governors to administer the local councils.
Ladies and gentlemen, If you could remember in 2016, the Supreme Court gave judgment in respect of the dissolution of local councils and appointment of caretaker committee by Mr Kayode Fayemi when he held sway as the governor of Ekiti State. The Supreme Court declared his action unconstitutional and emphasized that non-elected caretaker committee is not recognized under the Constitution.
Note importantly, if a House of Assembly enacts laws to muscle the administration of local councils by a democratically elected Chairman, such law is a direct affront on section 7 of the Constitution. Such law is void for being inconsistent with the provision of section 7 of the Constitution. Sadly, this unwholesome and corrupt practice by state governors has denied the country the benefits of sustainable, viable democratic culture at the critical grass roots level where the bulk of the citizenry reside. No local government can execute viable project for the benefit of the masses because the office of administrator is a scam in disguise.
The Federal Government is not helping matters because since 1999, it has been breaching section 7 of the Constitution by disbursing funds on a monthly basis to unelected local governments (Administrators) even as they are not recognized by the Constitution. The only solution is for the Fed Govt to discourage such practice by upholding section 7 of the constitution, which is; by refusing to disburse funds to unelected caretaker committees. This measure will definitely discourage Governors from refusing to organize local govt election.
Ladies and gentlemen, this are my pains, our state is indebted simply because of this unholy system of governance. I called this fraudulent System of Governance. Who will save this state from mismanagement? If we cannot do something new to portray us as New Direction Government then it is simply New Faces in the old Direction.
One of the epidemics in our political space ever since the creation of Kogi state is the abuse of power and arrogance from top to the bottom. The civil servants are the one paying for this unholy and corrupt practice. Money meant for their salaries have been squandered, feeding the unelected caretakers. No wonder they are living larger than the owner who work for the money. (The Civil Servants)…Posterity Will Judge You All
I could have maintained a dignified sealed-mouth on this ugly situation, but as usual my mouth if full and my head is aching me seeing those vying for senatorial position across central sending congratulatory message across to their unelected fraudsters, this to me show they are driven by ambition, and self-interest not development or people interest as they preached.
His Excellency, Alh Yahaya Bello, The 4th Executive Governor Of Kogi State, by virtue of the constitution, you are the head and the number one citizen of the state. Leadership we know comes with myriads of challenges but who you surround yourself with make it easy for you to navigate. The recent 20% payment of salary to teacher is abuse of teachers’ right in the state. What is 20% for God sake?
His Excellency, I think it is important the communities are listened to and that their voice is heard, particularly with local government boundaries, and this can only be possible by conducting a free and fair election for them to choose their leaders instead of wasting our scarce resources on these scandalous ceremonial leaders. It is high time we tell ourselves the truth; we cannot continue this way and expect the best from the teachers or civil servant. If only the people know the power vested on them, at the end of the day, the government, local government all bow to public pressure because without them you are nothing.
I keep asking myself if our leaders still remember the purpose of government as prescribed in the 1999 Constitution of FRN. As more and more women, men and young people raise their voices and become active in local government, and more local leaders take action and refuse to be compromise change happens. We must demand for the law and kick out these people holding our society ransom.
The purpose of Government, as found in the Preamble of the Constitution, is to “establish Justice, insure domestic, tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” ladies and gentlemen, the reverse is the case in our society.
They have succeeded in creating artificial hardship to steal the voice of the masses and to make it impossible for them to control their mind in order to use them to cling to power… But I have come to announce to you that 2019 is for the best, the fittest and for the creditable. Enough of backwardness.
The root of all evil is abuse of power by unashamed leaders and this is common today in our society. The government is so out of control. It is so bloated and infested with fraud and deceit and corruption and lies and abuse of power…what a shame
We call on the state government to start planning for election because we will not tolerate any further extension.
As We Redirect The New Direction, May We Have A State That Work
God Bless GYB
God Bless Kogi State.
– Ogo’Ogu MD
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