Politics
FULL LIST: 20 States With Local Government Caretaker Committees
Most states have resorted to governing the local governments through caretaker committees set up by the State Government.
This is contrary to Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the system of local government by democratically elected officials.
Caretaker committees have become a prevalent practice in different states across the federation, and are fast replacing local government councils.
Factors fingered for the inability of many States to conduct council polls include insecurity, paucity of funds as well as political and legal battles.
Thursday’s ruling by the Supreme Court declaring that it is unconstitutional for Governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations further raised the question of how LG helmsmen are routinely sacked from office and replaced with Caretaker Committees.
These are the states running local governments with caretaker committees as complied by The Nation:
READ ALSO: BREAKING States Lose As Supreme Court Rules On LG Financial Autonomy
1. Rivers – Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara appointed caretaker committees for the 23 local government areas as he continues his battle with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, for the control of the political structure in the oil-rich state.
2. Jigawa – On June 28, 2024, the government of Jigawa State dissolved the elected council chairmen of the 27 local governments.
3. Anambra – On June 20, 2024, Governor Charles Soludo, through the House of Assembly, confirmed the appointment of transition committee chairmen and councillors for the 21 local government areas.
4. Zamfara – In Zamfara, the last grassroots poll was held on April 27, 2019, and the State returned to appointees after the chairmen’s tenures expired. In May 2024, the Assembly approved a six-month extension for the caretaker committee.
5. In Benue, however, elections are scheduled to be held on July 6, 2024, for LG council chairmen.
6. Bauchi – Last year, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, sworn in 20 appointed local government area caretaker committee chairmen with their deputies.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Supreme Court Bars Govs From Sacking LG Chairmen
7. Plateau – June 2023, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau inaugurated the Interim Transition Committee chairpersons for its 17 local government areas at Government House Jos.
8. Abia – In December 2023, Abia Governor Alex Otti, inaugurated the 17 local government transition council chairpersons.
9. Enugu – In March 2024, Enugu State Government ordered local government chairmen in the 17 councils to hand over administration to heads of personnel management after the expiration of their tenures.
10. Katsina
11. Kano – In March 2024, Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State recommended names of Interim Management Committee members for Local Government Areas of the state to its House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
12. Sokoto
13. Yobe – In April 2024, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, approved the dissolution of all the 17 local government councils of the state, and also directed all local government chairmen to handover the affairs of their respective local governments to Directors of Personnel Management.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Supreme Court Bars FG From Paying Allocations To LGs With Unelected Officials
14. Ondo – Ondo State Government also constituted Caretaker Committees for the 18 Local Councils and 33 Local Council Development Areas, (LCDA).
15. Osun – In February 2024, Osun Assembly extended the tenure of office and re-appointed caretaker committees of 30 Local Government Areas and 39 others running Modakeke Area Office and Local Council Development Areas in the state.
The extension was subsequently secured for the caretaker chairmen, vice chairmen, scribes and their members’ fresh six months tenure, beginning in February and ending in August 2024.
16. Delta
17. Akwa-Ibom – Governor Umo Eno last year through a letter with reference number GHU/AKS/S/104/VOL.1/607, addressed to the Speaker, Hon. Udeme Otong, informed the House of Assembly that there was no provision in the 2023 budget for the conduct of local government elections.
He urged the Assembly to pass a resolution authorising him to set up interim administration at the 31 local government areas at the expiration of the tenure of the elected council officials.
19. In Imo State, the last council poll was conducted on August 25, 2018, which was the first in seven years.
20. In Kwara State, the last council election was in November 2017 with caretaker committees in charge since 2020.
Politics
INEC Fixes Voter Registration Resumption Dates For Anambra Election, Nationwide
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume in Anambra on July 17 and nationwide on Aug. 18.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the commission’s quarterly meeting with political parties on Thursday in Abuja.
Yakubu said that in view of the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra, the CVR exercise would be held at two levels.
He said the exercise would commence in the 326 wards across the state on July 8 and end on July 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including the weekend.
READ ALSO: Anambra Governorship: INEC Publishes Final List, Announces Date For Campaign
“During the registration period, new voters as well as those who wish to transfer their registration to Anambra from other states of the federation or from one location to another within the state will have the opportunity to do so.
“Similarly, registered voters whose Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were lost or damaged will have the opportunity to apply for replacement.
“Uncollected PVCs from previous registrations will also be available for collection at the registration centres.
“Interested eligible Nigerian citizens are encouraged to appear in person to register,” he said.
The INEC chairman, however, explained that the online pre-registration option is currently unavailable.
READ ALSO: INEC Releases Details Of 16 Anambra Guber Candidates
Yakubu added that voter registration and compilation of the voters’ register must be completed not later than 90 days before the date fixed for the election as provided by law.
“For the nationwide CVR, the commission has approved resumption of the online and in-person registration of voters in all states of the federation.
“The online pre-registration will start on Aug. 18, while the in-person registration will follow on Aug. 25.
“The exercise will be held simultaneously in all states and the FCT as well as the 774 Local Government Area offices nationwide,” he said.
Yakubu said the detailed schedule of activities would be released soon.
(NAN)
Politics
2027: Drama As Two ‘ADA’ Emerge In INEC’s List Of 110 Party Registration Bids
Two political associations seeking registration as political parties have submitted identical acronyms to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
According to Vanguard, the first is the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, being promoted by Chief Akin Ricketts and said to be one of the special purpose vehicles that the anti-Tinubu coalition is seeking to use as a platform in the 2027 general election.
While the Ricketts ADA is 109 on the INEC list, the other ADA, Advanced Democratic Alliance, is 110, the last one the list unveiled by the electoral umpire.
This second ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman as Protem Chairman and Zipporah Pius Miracles as Secretary.
READ ALSO: Atiku, El-Rufai Coalition Seeks INEC Registration For New Party
The Ricketts ADA has its national headquarters at Ground Floor, UAC Complex, Plot 273 Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, CBD, Abuja, FCT.
Suleiman’s ADA has its national headquarters at 1 Frandriance Close, Off Oda Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, no fewer than 110 political associations have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, seeking registration as political parties.
Politics
Damagum Is PDP’s Problem – Ex-Benue Gov Suswam
Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, on Wednesday declared that the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum, is the problem of the party.
Suswam, who insisted that Damagum is not a leader, said the party has been drifting downwards since he assumed the role of acting National Chairman.
Featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former governor said, “There is no integrity in the leadership of PDP, I’m happy that Wike said it.
READ ALSO::
“I have consistently said that Damagum is not a leader. What has happened here is that after the meeting with INEC, a good leader would have met with the National Working Committee members to brief them before holding any press conference.
“Damagum has been the problem of the PDP since he assumed the acting National Chairman of the party. The party has been drifting downward, I have said this thing consistently.
“First and foremost, he breached the provisions of the constitution which said that he must act for a period and this position must go back to the North Central.”
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