FORMER Senate leader, Senator Victor
Ndoma-Egba, has called on the federal government to withhold funds of state
governments that fail to conduct local governments elections.
Ndoma-Egba spoke yesterday while
briefing newsmen on the All Progressives Congress (APC) mega rally slated for
Calabar today to formally welcome some prominent Cross Riverians into its fold,
said President Muhammadu Buhari should have the political will to sanction any
state that fails to conduct elections into councils.
He said failure of any state
governor to conduct the elections as and when due would amount to a breach of
the constitution and should attract sanctions, where necessary.
Ndoma-Egba said: “All the state
governors, including the governor of Cross River State, swore to an oath of
office to defend and protect the constitution of Nigeria and the constitution
provides very clearly for a democratically-elected system of local government.
“The fact that in the past, the
powers-that-be did not meet that requirement does not mean that the current APC
government at the federal level will ignore that.
“There are consequences for
breaching the constitutional requirements to have a democratically-elected
local government system in place.
“For instance, the federal
government could withhold their funds until they have a democratically-elected
system in place, and I am sure the APC will consider all of such option.
“It is not business as usual for us
not to have a democratically-elected local government in place. The President
should insist that the provision of the constitution be up held.”
He faulted insinuations that those
who now identify with the APC are decampees, describing the current situation
as “massive movement” to the fold of the progressives.
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