The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has hailed the judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria which granted full financial autonomy to the 774 local government councils in the country, and outlawed the arbitrary dissolution of elected councils as well as the appointment of caretakers by state Governors.
The party in a statement by its publicity secretary Bemgba Iortyom, called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to dissolve the Caretaker Committees in the 23 local government councils in the state with immediate effect in compliance with the judgement of the apex court.
The main opposition party in the State recalled that Governor Alia had dissolved the duly elected councils for the local government areas of the state on his assumption of office, in blatant disregard for numerous judgments of court to the contrary, and has since continued to run the councils through caretaker administrations.
PDP in Benue aligned with millions of Nigerians who have since been celebrating the judgement across the country as a victory for democracy, as it is apparent that anyone who is against it is directly against democracy in Nigeria and an enemy of ordinary Nigerians.
MUST READ: Local Government Autonomy: Governors Forum Hails Supreme Court Judgement
The party affirmed its confidence in the judiciary as the last resort for the common man in the country and hailed the local government autonomy judgement as solidifying that role of the judiciary.
It also called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the amendments to the Constitution of the country which are before its chambers to grant full administrative autonomy to the local government tier to make it a full federating unit independent of the domineering powers wielded over it by state governments which is inhibitive rather than promotive of development at the grassroots.
The PDP urged Governor Alia to recall his promise during the campaigns to grant autonomy to local governments in the State, and should see the judgement of the apex court as offering him a window to make good on that promise.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
