The Cross River State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has issued a three-month ultimatum to Governor Bassey Otu to organise local government elections so that the people’s leaders can emerge from the grassroots.
IPAC gave the ultimatum yesterday in Calabar at the end of its enlarged general meeting to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday, the state chairman of IPAC, Engr. Effiom Okon said the call was prompted by the federal government’s directive and court ruling on local government autonomy regarding the election.
Okon and the secretary, Omari Eje, signed the six-point resolution reached at the meeting.
The association’s publicity secretary, Maxwell Odigha, read it and urged the National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to investigate the management and disbursement of local government funds.
In the “Urgent Call for Local Government Election In Cross River State” resolution, Okon stated that polls mean inclusive governance, where those in the villages can also participate.
“The Cross River State government must conduct local government elections without delay before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) takes over.
“This is a constitutional requirement and a step towards grassroots development.
“The conduct of local government elections is a constitutional mandate, as enshrined in Section 7(1) of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution.
“Local government elections will provide privileges for marginalised communities that lacked representation at the state and federal levels to participate in governance,” the IPAC resolution maintained.
The group requested a statutory special adviser on inter-party from the state government as they were no longer comfortable working with Nkoyo Otu, who allegedly caused them so much pain.
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