The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has berated Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the state House of Assembly for refusing to conduct elections into the state’s local government councils.
According to the Lagos PDP, the government and the House are showing a lack of commitment and sincerity in conducting the council poll.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, the PDP said the delay in the conduct of the council elections showed that Ambode was not prepared to govern Lagos in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
The statement read, “Governor Ambode has opted to turn the state into a kangaroo republic where the norms of good governance are violated. The PDP wants the Lagos State House of Assembly not to approve any expenditure to any ministry and the local councils until those institutions are legally and properly constituted. We are shocked that the APC and Ambode are confirming their inability to continue to govern Lagos State. How can one explain that Ambode does not have a cabinet even when he took over from a predecessor who is a member of his party?
“The transition that should ordinarily be smooth is now disjointed because of the inefficiency of the governor and his party. This is a violation of the constitution. The state must have commissioners and the continual delay in appointing commissioners and aides, to us, is a deliberate plan to clean up the mess in the various ministries and departments. Similarly, the governor is presiding over a government that is alien to our 1999 constitution, section 7 of which guarantees only democratically elected local council leaders. The tenure of the last council leaders expired in October, 2014.”
The PDP alleged that Ambode’s attempt to reform the local government system was actually a means of not holding the council elections.
The statement noted, “This is just an alibi to avoiding council polls, knowing full well that his party is not popular at the grass roots. Unfortunately, the House of Assembly is abetting this illegal agenda. A serious House of Assembly should summon the governor to explain why he should continue to spend the state’s resources at this time without commissioners and democratically elected local council leaders.”
