Civil Society Organisations and rights activists in Kogi State have described the non conduct of local council election in the state over the last two years as act that encourages corruption, lack of transparency and accountability at the third tear of government.
This was part of the resolution reached in a communique issued on Tuesday at the end of a one-day workshop on the Role of the Media and Civil Society Organizations on Anti-Corruption, Transparency and Accountability in Elections organised by the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution in collaboration with the Yar’adua Foundation and MacArthur Foundation.
The Communique, jointly issued by the Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Idris Miliki Abdul and Kogi State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Adeiza Momohjimoh, maintained that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has declared caretaker committee chairmen for local government areas as illegal.
The participants therefore demand for the immediate initiation of the process that will lead to the conduct of the Local Government elections in Kogi State as provided for in the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria in order to guarantee the needed development at the grassroots.
“INEC as a body needs to explain to the people of Nigeria and Kogi State in particular, the rationale behind the declaration of the Lokoja/Koton Karfe House Representatives Bye election held on 11th August 2018 as conclusive whereas the same scenario in the gubernatorial elections in Osun state held on the 22nd September 2018, was declared inconclusive”, the communique said.
