The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Gombe State has kicked against the alleged plan by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to appoint caretaker chairmen for the 11 local government areas in the state.
Addressing newsmen yesterday in Gombe, the IPAC Publicity Secretary, Malam Abubakar Aliyu, said the purported plan to appoint a caretaker committee for the local government councils is unconstitutional and illegal.
He said following the expiration of the tenure of all the elected chairmen of the respective LGAs, the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC) should have conducted an election to fill the positions.
“It is on record that on December 19, the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs issued all the elected chairmen of the 11 LGAs a notification on the expiration of their tenure.
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“But to our dismay, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya applied and requested from the Gombe State House of Assembly approval to re-appoint the 11 chairmen whose tenure has expired as caretaker committee against the existing norms and procedure,” Aliyu said.
The IPAC also described as worrisome the approval given by the House of Assembly to the governor’s request to appoint caretaker committee to supervise the administrative functions and affairs of the 11 local government councils.
The IPAC called on the state government to make arrangements to conduct local government elections in the state.