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Tag: Council chairmen

  • APC condemns suspension of council chairmen

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has condemned the suspension of three local government chairmen.

    A statement by the Publicity Secretary, James Ornguga, described the suspension as null, void and illegal.

    The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress  (APC)  in Benue State has read reports of the purported suspension of three local government chairmen, elected on its platform, by the Titus Uba-faction of the House of Assembly.

    “Those suspended are Uaah Vitalis (Gwer East); Akola Simon (Ogbadibo) and Akura Dennis (Vandeikya). This action confirms earlier alarms raised by the forum of local government chairmen of APC extraction, of plans by the Samuel Ortom-led government to remove chairmen who refused to follow the governor to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “Reasons announced for the illegal action were generalisations of misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds, and none of the affected chairmen was invited or given fair hearing.

    “We condemn this illegality, and urge Governor Ortom to save the local government system the trouble of his second term ambition that is currently being starved of support.

    “Political parties attract membership through people-oriented programmes and not by coercing members of other political parties using government machinery.

    “By this act of desperation, Governor Ortom has displayed his lack of tolerance for due process and constitutionalism as basic ingredients in the practice of democracy.

    “We call on security agencies to hold Ortom responsible should crisis spring up from this deliberate illegality to plant his stooges as caretaker chairmen in the affected councils to swell up his delegate list for the coming PDP primaries.”

  • Obaseki swears in council chairmen

    Obaseki swears in council chairmen

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has sworn in chairmen for the councils.

    Speaking at the ceremony in Benin City, Edo State capital, yesterday, Obaseki urged the chairmen to be accountable, responsive and responsible in administering the affairs of their councils.

    He said: “My administration has kept aside N2 billion saved from the Paris Club refunds in the councils’ treasury for the new executives to commence activities.

    “You are not coming to meet an empty treasury. I have saved your Paris refund in excess of N2 billion and some of you have savings in excess of N2 billion. So, you will be coming into office with some reserves and savings, but you have to focus on enduring projects.”

    He said the era when council chiefs left offices with debts for their successors would not be accepted, noting that his administration spent the last 17 months offsetting debts incurred by former council executives.

    The governor described the peaceful conduct of the electoral process as historical, noting: “The increasing acceptability of the laudable programmes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) enabled you to secure victory at the polls. We do not expect less from you.

    “Your elections were free and fair, so you must go and serve the people who voted you into office. You have no godfather to settle. Your sole responsibility must be the welfare of the people,” the governor urged the new chairmen.

    Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige, who witnessed the  ceremony, commended Obaseki for saving funds for the chairmen to kick-start their activities.

    He described the act as benevolent and urged the council chiefs to use the fund for the people.

    Oredo council Chairman Jenkins Osunde, who spoke for others, thanked the people for voting them into offices.

    He promised that they will live up to the confidence reposed in them and build on the foundation laid by the administration.

     

     

  • Ganduje swears-in 44 council chairmen

    Ganduje swears-in 44 council chairmen

    Kano State Governor  Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has sworn in the elected chairmen of the 44 local government councils.

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won  all the chairmanship and 484 concillorship seats, in theweekend’s  election.

    The swearing-in took place at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, in the Kano metropolis, yesterday .

    The oath of office was administered by the Attorney General and Justice Commissioner  Ibrahim Mukhtar.

    The chairmen took the oath from the three senatorial zones.

    Ganduje described  the election as another milestone.

    He added that the election was well conducted, adding that it was greeted by large turnout of voters.

    Ganduje recalled that his administration wanted to hold the election since last year, but was suspended, due to lack of fund.

    “But, now we provided enough resources for the election. We also reformed the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC).

    “We followed the constitution of our great party, APC, in conducting the election. We followed all the rules and regulations, governing the conduct of election in our party.”

    The 44 candidates emerged through reconciliation and mutual understanding.

  • Ajomole: Lagos council chairmen ’ll make APC proud

    Ajomole: Lagos council chairmen ’ll make APC proud

    The Chairman of Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Henry Ajomole, has congratulated the newly-elected chairmen and councilors across the 57 local government and Local Council Development Areas, for making the party proud in the recent local government elections conducted by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

    In a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Peter Ajayi, the Chairman thanked members and supporters of the APC, for electing candidates of the party to run the affairs of local councils for the next four years. He also called on the elected chairman and councillors to see their victory as a call to service, by making sure that they deliver their campaign promises within the time frame of their administration.

    Ajomale said the confidence the people of Lagos State have in the APC was as a result of the dividends of democracy being delivered by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration across the entire 57 local councils. He added: “The chairmen and councilors will make the party proud by working in their respective local governments and council areas to complement the efforts of our hard working and people’s governor.”

    The chairman also seized the opportunity to reassure citizens and good people of Lagos State that the party will continue to deliver on her promises at all levels of governments.  His words: “The people of Lagos State have not regretted voting for the governorship candidate of our great party in the last general election, because he has turned out to be the best governor in the country. I hereby call on our newly-elected council officers to emulate Governor Ambode who has continued to make us proud by replicating his efforts in their council areas.”

  • Sacked council chairmen reject Fayose’s N35m offer

    The 16 ex-Ekiti State Local Government chairmen sacked by former Governor Kayode Fayemi have rejected the N35 million offered by Governor Ayodele Fayose of the N3.3 billion owed them.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Supreme Court, on December 9, ordered the government to pay the chairmen and councillors N3.3 billion as compensation.

    In a unanimous judgment read by Justice Chima Nweze, the Supreme Court held that the sack by Fayemi was illegal and unconstitutional.

    1. Ogunbiyi Olasunakanmi-Synergy, who led the sacked chairmen, briefed the press yesterday in Abuja.

    He said an attempt to subvert the Supreme Court’s judgment would be resisted. He  called on Fayose to obey the court.

    “All the local government chairmen between 2008 and  2010 met today and rejected the governor’s offer because accepting such offer will be tantamount to disobeying the Supreme Court,’’ he said.

    He said any negotiations from the governor should be done through the association’s lawyer, Obafemi Adewale.

    Thee former chairman called on the governor to act in the interest of the people, who served the state “meritoriously’’.

  • Council chairmen urged on development

    Local government councils and Local Government Development Area chairmen in Ogun State have been urged to use their offices to initiate programmes that would bring development to their areas.

    A statement by Mrs. Oluwaseun Boye of the Minstry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs said the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, made the call at a maiden meeting organised by the ministry for the newly sworn-in 57 chairmen at the Obas’ Complex Hall in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    He said the meeting was aimed at enlightening the chairmen on their responsibilities and ways to run their councils effectively.

    Ojuko advised the chairmen to use their positions to improve the living standards of the people in line with the re-building mission of the administration.

    He said: “We want our chairmen to succeed and bring dividends of democracy to the grassroots, develop the communities under their LGAs and LCDAs,  and capture revenue sources which were hitherto not captured and, above all, complement developmental programmes of the government at the grassroots.’’

    Special Adviser to the governor on Revenue, Mr. Sheu Olanrewaju, said the state Internal Revenue office was ready to partner the LGAs and LCDAs to get untapped revenues that would boost the sources of internally generated revenue which would enhance a buoyant economy.

    On security, Commander of Vigilance Service of Ogun State (VSO), Soji Ganzallo assured the chairmen of his command’s readiness to assist the councils to tackle crimes and guarantee maximum security.

    He urged them to call on the command as it is the only security outfit set up by the government to ensure security of lives and property.

    Responding on behalf of the chairmen, Chairman of Abeokuta North Folarin Olakunle, thanked the Ministry for putting the programme and promised their support.

    Also, the Chairmen, Yewa North  and Sagamu Local Government  Areas, Hon Adeagbo  Razak and Hon. Kafaru Felix promised to collaborate with the government in its effort to rebuild the state, promising to deliver on their campaign promises.

     

     

  • Ondo PDP council chairmen kick as Jegede picks form

    Ondo PDP council chairmen kick as Jegede picks form

    •Aspirant promises to justify supporters’ confidence

    There was a mild drama yesterday at the Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Akure, the state capital, as the party’s 10 local council chairmen worked out from an event, where the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, collected his governorship nomination form.

    Six of the PDP council chairmen are from the northern senatorial districts and the remaining four from the south.

    It was gathered that they were initially invited for a PDP stakeholders meeting by the state executives, but later discovered that the meeting was organised for the collection of form by Jegede.

    The party leaders from the north and south senatorial districts have been agitating that the PDP governorship candidate must come from their districts.

    They based their argument on the fact that there was an existing agreement on a rotation of governorship seat among the three senatorial districts. They added that since the outgoing governor, Olusegun Mimiko, is from central, the party’s new governorship candidate must not come from the central.

    The party leaders were aggrieved that Jegede, who is the anointed candidate of Mimiko, is from central senatorial district.

    Confirming this report, the PDP Chairman of Akoko North East, Mr. Tayo Oyedeji, said 10 of his colleagues from the 18 councils stormed out from the party secretariat.

    He said they were not informed that the purpose of their invitation to Akure was for them to witness the collection of nomination form by Jegede.

    Oyedeji insisted that the party candidate must come from the northern senatorial district.

    But the PDP State Chairman, Clement Faboyede, an engineer, said over 800 delegates would determine the candidate of the party at the primaries.

    Jegede, who resigned on July 22 to contest for the top job, obtained the forms at the state PDP secretariat in Akure amidst fanfare and solidarity by former colleagues in the State Executive Council, party leaders, well-wishers, family members and supporters in their hundreds across the 18 council areas.

    Speaking after picking the two forms, Jegede said he was overwhelmed with the massive show of love and support by the people, who, he said, transcend religious, ethnic and party affiliations. He promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by offering good governance which will consolidate and improve upon the achievements of the Mimiko administration.

    Jegede reiterated his position that he is contesting to become the next governor to harness the state’s enormous natural resources to buoy its economic fortunes and enhance the living standards of the people.

  • Council chairmen: we never threatened to resign

    Council chairmen: we never threatened to resign

    The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Niger State said yesterday that none of the 25 local government chairmen threatened to resign.

    It added that they were prepared to serve the people.

    Briefing reporters in Minna, the ALGON Chairman, Mr. Tanko Garba Kagara, who disassociated the group from reports that council chairmen threatened to resign because of lack of funds, said the reports were meant to sow seeds of discord and set the chairmen on a warpath with Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

    He said: “We make bold to say that at no time since our inauguration as the chieftains of our councils have we met to discuss, resolve or threaten to resign due to non-release of local government funds. We were elected by our people and are prepared to serve them and not jump ship at the middle of nowhere.”

    There were rumours that council chairmen threatened to resign, following the non-release of funds to run the local governments.

    Kagara who, however, failed to say if any of the councils had received funds from the executive, said they were yet to settle down to work, let alone being concerned with funds.

    His words: “We, the 25 local government chairmen in Niger State, wish to disassociate ourselves from the report, as no decision to resign from office was taken. It should be noted that since our inauguration barely a month ago, the majority of our members are just settling down to work, and it beats our imagination that ‘some’ alleged chairmen are threatening to resign in June.”

    The ALGON chairman stressed that the group has no problem with the government, as its confidence in the leadership of Governor Bello remains unshaken.

    “We want to assure our people that council chairmen remain focused and committed to replicating the restoration agenda of the governor at the grassroots.”

  • Fayose swears in council chairmen

    Fayose swears in council chairmen

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose yesterday swore in local government chairmen, saying there was no more money to steal in the councils.

    Fayose urged them to take Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) serious, emphasising the need to strive to augment statutory allocations from the Federation Account.

    The governor advised the council bosses not to be money-conscious but to make the people’s welfare their priority.

    The governor said in line with the policy of empowering people at the local level, each councillor and chairman would use N20,000 of their salaries to empower two persons in their wards.

    Speaking on behalf of her colleagues, Chairman of Gbonyin Local Government, Mrs Folashade Akinrinmola, thanked the governor, party leaders and people.

    Others are: Kazeem Ogunsakin (Ado); Bolaji Jeje (Efon); Adekunle Adeniyi (Ekiti East); Olanrewaju Omolase (Ekiti Southwest); Omotunde Kolawole (Ekiti West); Taiwo Oguntuase (Emure); Ayodele Arogbodo (Ido/Osi); Abiodun Dada (Ijero); Ola Alonge (Ikere); Yemi Adeyanju (Ikole); Oladapo Olagunju (Irepodun/Ifelodun); Olumide Falade (Ise/Orun); Adeniyi Adebayo (Moba) and Omotayo Ogundare (Oye).

     

  • Kogi: Appeal Court reinstates sacked LG chairmen

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday reinstated the 21 Local Government Council Chairmen wrongfully sacked by Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi.

    A Kogi State High Court sitting in Koton Karfe on Dec. 9, 2014, nullified the May 4, 2013 Council elections that produced the Chairmen and their Councillors.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice Mustapha Mohammed held that the decision of the lower court was a judicial error.

    The Judge said the appeal brought by the appellants had merit, adding “It is hereby allowed’’.

    He ordered the Kogi State government to immediately reinstate the sacked Council Chairmen and their Councillors, relieved of their appointments before the expiration of their tenures.

    “The Court has perused the substance of the matter and left without an option but to nullify the dissolution carried out by the governor,’’ he said.

    The trial judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye- Ajileye, in his judgment ordered the appellants (Chairmen) to hand over to the most senior Directors in their Local Government Councils.

    The trial Court had held that the elections of the sacked 21 Local Government bosses conducted by the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) were contrary to section 200(1) of 1999 Constitution as amended.

    He stressed that the composition of KOSIEC at that period remained unconstitutional, illegal and void

    Omolaye- Ajileye had held the Chairmen and their Councillors were sacked strictly to promote the principle of fairness, independence and transparency as prescribed by the law.

    NAN reports that Justice Mohammed said the decision of the lower court was misleading and therefore required to be overturned.

    “Having considered the appeal urging this court to reinstate the 21 Local Government Council Chairmen and their Councillors from Kogi State back to their offices, the penal is obliged to do so.

    “The Kogi State Government is hereby ordered to immediately, without delay, reinstate the appellants back to their jobs,’’ he said.