Wada sacks 15 council chairmen for defecting to APC
(Nigeria) Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State on Tuesday removed 15
chairmen of local governments from office for defecting to the rival All
Progressives Congress, APC.
In a statement in Lokoja by the Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr James Adedoyin in
Lokoja, it cited section 20 sub section ( 1) and section 36 sub section 1 (d) of
Kogi State Local Government Law 2000 as amended to back the action.
It explained that the sacked chairmen can no longer remain
in office having decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that sponsored them.
Some of the affected council chairmen include that of
Lokoja, Ogori-Magongo, Idah, Adavi, Ankpa, Okehi, Bassa, Yagba East, Yagba West
and Okene among others.
They defected to the APC during the grand finale of its
governorship campaign held in Lokoja on November 18.
The statement warned the sacked council chairmen to stay
away from offices, directing the vice chairmen or the council leaders to take
over the affairs of the affected councils as may be appropriate.
The governor said the handing and taking over should be
completed by Wednesday November 25, the
statement said.
One of the grounds for their defection was the refusal of
Wada to implement a decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Oct 29 that
nullified the removal of the elected chairmen from office.
They were removed from office based on the order of a Kogi
State High Court sitting in Koton Karfe which ruled that the election of May 4,
2013 which brought them into office was faulty.
Relying on the judgment, Kogi State Government asked the
chairmen and councillors to vacate office but the affected officials approached
the Appeal Court which set aside the ruling and declared that they resume
immediately.
Kogi state government refused to give effect to the ruling
until November 23.
Comments
Post a Comment