By Ahmed Rahma
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has urged the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Willie Obiano, to ensure democracy at the grassroots level by conducting local government election.
According to the group, the last local government election was conducted in the state was in 2014 by the former governor, Mr Peter Obi.
The Chairman of CLO in Anambra, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, who made the appeal when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday, said throughout the federation, Anambra is the only state that had failed to conduct local government election for nearly a decade.
He said, “The last LG poll was conducted in January 2014 by former Governor Peter Obi; that was the only election conducted in the state since the inception of democratic governance in 1999.
“The federal government should set aside a day as local government day for re-appraisal of how far local councils have rendered and still render their statutory functions, their weaknesses, problems and way forward,” the Chairman said.
The CLO boss, however, applauded some state governors that had demonstrated patriotism and resilience in ensuring constant conduct of local government election in their various states.
“These governors are indeed hopes of democratic values and sustenance of democracy not only at local but at the state and federal levels; others should emulate them.
“When you think about religion you think about righteousness; when you think about commerce you think about profits; when you think about politics you think about people, hence the local government is the foundation of democracy.
“Majority of the contestants and electorate reside in the rural areas and grassroots.
“Significantly, in a nutshell, its government at the basic, local and grassroots levels but also closer and nearer to the people,” he said.
Mr Ezekwueme added that, “It is constitutional, legal and administrative decentralisation of authority, power and personnel to the third tier of government in order to bring government nearer and impactful to the people at the grassroots.
“This is so, that even the lowest villager in an area feels the impact of government and governance.”
Concluding, he called on Nigerians to unite and strive more than ever before towards ensuring strict observation of constitutional roles of all the local government councils.
“We, as a people, should impress it and ensure that appropriate sanctions are meted against states that failed to conduct local government elections,” he added.
