The Nasarawa
State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has said that the
one-year tenure approved for elected local government officials was not enough
for any meaningful impact. Its Chairman, Mr Musa Said
u, told newsmen on
Wednesday in Lafia that one year was not even enough for the officials to
settle into the offices, study the concerns of the people, and order their
priorities.
Newsmen report that the state government had approved a one-year
tenure for elected local government chairmen and councillors, with fresh
elections conducted every year. Saidu, who described the tenure as
“unrealistic”, wondered what the officials could achieve in one year after
months of campaigns during which they made promises to the electorate. He
called for a review of the tenure to “at least three years” to give the elected
officials ample time to fulfill their promises and execute projects that would
improve the living standards of the rural dwellers. The APGA chairman observed
that the one-year tenure was not cost effective, saying that the task of
conducting local government elections every year constituted “a huge drain” on
limited resources.
Saidu also expressed APGA’s support to the move by the
National Assembly to abolish State Independent Electoral Commissions. “Abolishing
State Independent Electoral Commissions will restore public confidence in local
government elections. “Currently, state governors manipulate the processes
because they appoint and control the electoral officers. The ruling party
merely selects the officials with results often announced before the polls
begin,” he claimed.
Saidu urged state Houses of Assembly and other stakeholders
to support the move to grant autonomy to local governments to enable them
function properly as the third tier of government. “If local governments become
autonomous and INEC is mandated to conduct their polls, their tenure will be
the same in all states and their impact will be much” he said
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