Governor Eno, Assembly, Differ On Conduct Of LG Polls

As the tenure of the current interim administration set up to oversee the affairs of 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State expires on June 7, 2024, a constitutional crisis is brewing between the executive and the legislative arms over the conduct of regular elections to democratise local government administration.

Governor Eno had inaugurated transition committees on December 7, 2023, with the mandate to steer the Councils for six months pending regular elections by the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) chaired by Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak.

LEADERSHIP gathered the 26 – member Assembly, had also concluded work on the harmonisation and amendment of relevant sections of the AKISIEC law, but the governor appears not satisfied, insisting that AKISIEC is not sufficiently ready for the task, thereby seeking tenure elongation for the interim committees.

The governor’s letter demanding tenure extension for the interim LG leaders addressed to the speaker, Elder Udeme Otong, was read by the clerk of the Assembly, Mrs NsikakAbasi Orok at the Plenary session.

Eno, according to the letter, was arguing that “it is necessary to extend the tenure of the local government officials, pending when the Akwa Ibom State Independence Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) will be ready to conduct local government elections in the State.”

The governor’s message was received through a motion moved by Asuquo Udo (YPP, Ikono State Constituency, and seconded by Rt. Hon. Mfon Idung (PDP), Etim Ekpo/Ika State Constituency.

However, Speaker Otong, while responding to the governor’s request, said, “The House will review the activities of each local government council, since there are currently no elected councilors to perform such functions.”

The House, therefore, mandated its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, to “assess the performance of the current Transition Committees before considering a tenure extension.”