Confusion as Sacked Chairmen Plan to Take over Katsina LGs

 

Political crisis may be looming in Katsina State over a purported Supreme Court judgment reinstating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) council chairmen and councillors sacked by the state Governor. Aminu Bello Masari.

The embattled chairmen and councillors, whose elections were conducted by the past administration of Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema before he left office, were sacked by Masari shortly after he was sworn in as governor.

Masari, who sacked the duly elected chairmen and councillors in 2015 over alleged violation of state laws, inaugurated interim management committees for the 34 councils, but the committees members have been dissolved by the state Assembly following the expiration of their tenure.

The sacked chairmen and councilors, it was reliably gathered, were planning to resume their duties at various local government areas of the state, if the government remained adamant over the apex court judgement.

The dissolved local government chairman and councillors, it was learnt, would face stiff resistance from members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and security agencies in the state if they attempt to take over the councils.

A credible source and APC stalwart in the state said: "We are waiting for them; we can't fight but we will use relevant laws to resist their alleged plan to takeover local government councils."

He affirmed that Masari had obediently followed laws enacted by successful PDP administrations in the state as well as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to dismiss the council chairmen.

However, a PDP chieftain, who craved anonymity, told journalists on Tuesday that the suspended chairmen and their councillors across the state would besiege the 34 LGAs headquarters to resume duties if the state government continues to violate the court order.

He said the local government elections that produced the suspended chairmen were held in line with extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and relevant laws in the state.

According to him, "This election and all the processes preceding it are in tandem with democratic norms, free, fair and transparent. Is it not the same APC that is asking the legitimately elected PDP chairmen in Imo State to vacate office? We are going to do same here in Katsina State.

"And for your information, there were no legal or political impediments to the conduct of that election, and there has not been any court order dissolving or suspending these duly elected LGA officials."

But the state Governor, Masari, in a media chat with journalists on January 9, 2020, said he strictly adhered to the state law enacted by his predecessors to dissolve the local government chairmen and their 361 councillors.

He added: "We followed the law enacted by our predecessors to dissolve the local government councils. We inherited the law and used it. And now they are challenging the same law that they pass in the court.

"So, we have gone to the Supreme Court, and unless there is a clear pronouncement on our own case that is before the court before we can decide.

 Meanwhile, the state PDP Chairman, Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, who addressed journalists last Monday evening on what he termed rejoinder to Masari's position on local government councils in the state, said the sacking of the councils chairmen and their councillors by the governor violated section 7 (1) of the Nigerian constitution and relevant laws in the state.

He said: "We therefore maintained that he has not only violated laws but to a much larger extent violates the provisions in the Nigeria Constitution.

"As law-abiding citizens, we are confident that the reinstatement of the local government council officials would to a greater extent reduce the prevailing insecurity, promote economic growth and general wellbeing of the people."