A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, has described the proposed Bill currently before the National Assembly, seeking to establish an electoral body to conduct elections in the 774 local government areas across the country as a rape on democracy.
The Bill tagged: “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 531),” seeking for the establishment of the body that will be saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections for the 774 local governments in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and sponsored by Chairman, Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa (APC – Niger East), has since scaled first reading in the Senate.
The proposed electoral commission, once established, shall consist of a chairperson and six commissioners, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The chairperson and commissioners shall serve for a term of five years, and renewable once.
Pearse said this in his reaction, while speaking with our correspondent, and further described the proposed Bill as a ruse by the Federal Government to undermine the power of state governors and enshrine itself as the benefactor of council areas in states across the country.
The former gubernatorial candidate, who is a public Affairs analyst and Convener of Reset Lagos PDP, said that giving the provisions of the Bill, which allows the president to appoint the Commission’s Chairman as well as its six Commissioners, with funding of the body to be done by the Federal Government, it became evident that the Commission would be totally dependent on the Central Government just “like our embattled Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC).”
“The Local Government Commission Bill is a rape of democracy
“This Bill is a ruse by the Federal Government to undermine the power of state governors and enshrine itself as the benefactor of Local Government Areas in the country.
“The NILGEC Bill is designed to bring all the 774 Local Government Areas under the control of the Federal government thus nullifying the democratic sharing of Powers between the Federal government and the State governments.
“According to the Local Government Areas Electoral bill, the President will appoint the Commission’s Chairman as well as its six Commissioners. In addition, the Commission will be funded by the Federal Government.
“It is evident that the Commission will be totally dependent on the Federal Government like our embattled Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC). It will be neither free nor independent, but will be a tool in the hand of the President for the manipulation of election results,” Pearse said.
“If passed into law, this Bill will be a certain way of handing over the 2027 Presidential Election, and all other elections in that election cycle to President Tinubu, and his callous, failed political party, All Progressives Congress (APC),” he added.
Speaking further, the PDP chieftain said that the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde was right in his affirmation that the N7 billion monthly received by Local Government Areas (LGAs) if not subsidised by the state government was grossly inadequate.
He asserted that the proposed Bill was a ploy by the Federal Government, warning that if eventually passed and signed into law, would make the Local Government Areas financially stranded.
“Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was right when he drew attention to the fact that the N7 billion naira monthly received by Local Government Areas if not subsidized by the state government is grossly inadequate.
“In essence, this Federal Government’s ploy will eventually leave the Local Government Areas financially stranded,” Pearse said.
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