The Jigawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned against plans to amend the local government electoral law in order to allow the imposition of caretaker committee chairmen in the 27 local government councils of the state.
The Jigawa State House of Assembly has constituted an ad hoc committee to review the state’s electoral and local government laws following a recommendation by the state’s chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
IPAC in Jigawa State had advocated for the amendment of the law to provide political parties with a notice period of 360 days to adequately prepare for elections.
The PDP claimed the move by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government would violate the 1999 Constitution and undermine democracy.
The state chairman, Ali Idris Diginsa, in a statement said the appointment of unelected executives as local council chairmen is unconstitutional and undemocratic.
He cited Section 7(1) of the Constitution, which mandates democratically elected chairmen for local government councils.
Diginsa also criticized the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission for failing to publish a timetable for new local government elections, as required by Section 64(1) of its own law.
He called for the commission’s leadership to be dissolved and replaced with capable hands to organize council elections immediately.
The PDP also urged the state government to conduct elections before the tenure of the current local government council chairmen and councillors expires in July 2024, rather than imposing caretaker chairmen.
He said, “Attempt made by the Jigawa State House of Assembly to pave the way for the Jigawa State Government to appoint sole administrators for the 27 local government councils of Jigawa State is unconstitutional and undemocratic.
“Section 7 sub section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) makes it mandatory for every local government council in Nigeria to be headed by a democratically elected chairman.
“Even the so called Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission has violated section 64(1) of its own law that mandated it to publish a timetable for new local government election not later than 90 days to the expiration of the tenure of the current local government council chairmen without any legal justification.
“The inaction of the commission to do the needful left us with no other option than to pass a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the commission and urge the Jigawa state government to dissolve it forthwith and to appoint capable hands that can organize council elections immediately.
“We are calling on them to organize elections before the tenure of the current occupants of the local government councils expires.”
