Benue State Chapter of Labour Party Reacts as Benue Assembly kicked out Local Government Autonomy Bill
According to a press statement by Kengkeng Ati
Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, this is a dead blow to the growth of the third tier of government in the state.
Read the full version of the release as shared to The Transmitter Media.
“On Local Government Autonomy we stand!
“As seen consistently since the advent of the Ortom administration, yesterday again, they murdered hope, buried sanity and added, through the Benue State House of Assembly, a feather to its infamous cap of derogatory achievements by voting against Local Government autonomy.
“Like every other detrimental act they’ve carried out, this latest coup was hatched and delivered in antiseptic fashion by the PDP majority led House of Assembly under the leadership and guidance of Rt. Hon. Titus Uba, their Governorship candidate.
“For record purposes, this is the third time that the Benue State House of Assembly has had to vote on Local Government Autonomy. In the past 2 outings, the assembly had voted in favour of autonomy. This time, the House is said to have recieved 66 constitution alteration bills from the National Assembly. Of particular heightened interest to the public has been the autonomy for Local Governments, State Assemblies and the Judiciary. In a self serving and egocentric demonstration, our assembly voted against Local Government autonomy but for autonomy of the State Assembly and the Judiciary
“This deadly blow to the growth of the Local Government system speaks of the ill desire of the Ortom administration to continue to pontificate and superintend over the funds and welfare of the third tier of Government. The bottlenecks and booby traps domiciled in the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that has turned it into a financial power house and favourite EFCC customer shall remain with us for a while if Uba and the PDP are not voted out of office come 2023.
“While other States have taken the smart decision to take governance to the people by voting in favour of autonomy for Local Governments, the Benue State House of Assembly which holds the Olympic Gold Medal for poor performance and docile representation has sunk the state deeper by sealing the destiny and hopes of independence of our Local Government system.
“We wish to express convincingly the displeasure of the Benue people over this daylight robbery of freedom and fairness. This act of brigandage shows exactly why the state is in the abyss on virtually all fronts.
“Lest we forget, the Benue State House of Assembly is headed by the Speaker who now doubles as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. By this action, the workplan and modus operandi for the next 8 years is very clear should Uba and the PDP be allowed to retain power in the state.
“The LP in Benue State calls on the Titus Uba led House of Assembly to, as a matter of urgent public importance, summon the House immediately to apologize to Benue people and also rescind this anti people verdict with a unanimous and overwhelming YES to the Local Government Autonomy question. Anything short of this, the 9th Assembly and its members will be boldly taking their shameful and ignominious place on the wrong side of history. Kudos to the few voices of reason silenced by the majority.
“Following this embarrassing show of shame, the need for a sweeping change of guard can no longer be emphasised. The onus now lies on the teeming masses of Benues suffering population to diligently prosecute and ensure the meticulous annihilation of these detrimental forces in the forthcoming ballot based revolution of 2023.”
