In a political climate, hot news comes knocking on the door of Benue, a state in Nigeria. The dissolution of government-elected local councils has sparked intense controversy and raised questions about the deterioration of democracy in the region.
The matter was brought to the attention of the Senate by Senator Abba Moro, who decried the Benue government’s dissolution of democratically elected local councils, replacing them with caretaker management committees. According to him, this measure is an aberration and goes against the Nigerian Constitution of 1999.
Senator Moro also points out that court decisions exist that prohibit the governor, the Legislature and their agents from manipulating the term limits of elected local councils. He recalls that each State has the constitutional responsibility to ensure the existence of these councils by law.
Other senators, such as Victor Umeh and Adams Oshoimole, also condemned the measure, arguing that the Constitution guarantees the presence of local elected officials throughout the country. They urge the Senate to defend the Constitution and protect existing laws.
Senator Ndume suggests that dissolved local councils approach the courts for redress. The Minister of Finance is also being called upon to refuse to pay statutory allocations to unelected local councils.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said the dissolution of elected local councils by the state government is illegal.
This case therefore raises major concerns about respect for democracy and the rule of law in the Benue region. The authorities and political parties must work together to find a solution that respects the Constitution and allows the establishment of democratically elected local councils.
It is essential that the Senate and other political institutions take concrete measures to put an end to this attack on democracy and ensure that the rights of citizens are respected. The fight for the preservation of democracy must not be left in the hands of the courts, but must be carried out by the entire political class.