Governor Idris Wada has called on the newly elected 21 local government chairmen in Kogi State to shun corruption and aim at delivering the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots. This as a human rights group has described the elections which produced the new council chairmen as a huge disappointment.
But Wada, who made the call in Lokoja yesterday at the swearing-in of the chairmen and their deputies, said their election was an acknowledgement of acceptability and leadership quality of the people of their respected local governments.
The governor expressed gratitude to the people for the peaceful conduct of local government elections. He said the poll was peaceful despite provocation by the misguided elements, who attempted to cause trouble and threatened to make the state ungovernable.
Wada lauded the security agents for taking proactive measures to ensure peaceful conduct of the last Saturday elections across the state. The governor, who noted that the Nigerian constitution recognises the local government administration as third tier of government, said that was why his administration had created a level playing field at the grassroots.
Wada, however, warned the chairmen that the oath they took was between them and the people at the grassroots, adding that the large portions of the rural dwellers were economically disadvantaged. He, therefore, urged the chairmen to use the opportunity of the election to impact positively on the lives of the masses in their domains.
The governor also cautioned the chairmen not to succumb to temptation to use their office to tamper with public funds to serve their personal interest, adding that they must not use their office to enrich themselves at the detriment of the rural dwellers.
