By Eze Chidozie
Following the recent declaration of the Supreme Court on Local government fiscal autonomy, the scramble to become local government chairman and councilor has intensified with more aspirants resorting to all sorts of antics to be elected into the third tier of government.
The judgement has further compelled several states including Enugu State to commence the process of conducting local government elections as the judgement was clear that any state with caretaker local government chairmen will not have access to the disbursements from the Federation Account (FAAC).
It was learnt that about 20 states are running local government caretaker system and risk losing out during the next phase of FAAC allocation.
The AUTHORITY learnt that in Enugu State, aides and political appointees of Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah have allegedly positioned some aspirants who worked against the governor in the 2023 general election and who are not even members of the party to become chairmen of various local governments in the state.
In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, the source who wish that his name should not be mentioned said,
“Some of the aides of the governor are bent in creating confusion during the upcoming local government election. Some powerful persons who worked against the election of the governor has lobbied some aides of the governor so that they can present their anointed candidates before the governor to enable them find favour and get elected as local government chairmen.
“These people have realized that the Obi wave will not work during the council elections because the governor has performed very well in the state. His score card is outstanding and Enugu has become a construction site and many projects have been commissioned since the governor assumed office.
“Some of these powerful men are not even members of the Poeples Democratic Party (PDP) and they worked against the governor in 2023. Having realized that PDP will win all the local council seats in the upcoming local government election, they have resorted to inducing the aides and close associates of the governor to take their preferred candidates to the governor so that they can be anointed.
“This development if allowed with be counter-productive because the governor will be empowering his enemies and enemies of the party through the backdoor and they will definitely work against the interest of the governor and the state at the long run.
“Their interest is only to hijack all the allocations that will accrue to the local councils from FAAC and use it to sponsor a candidates that will challenge the governor 2027” he said.
The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission has fixed Saturday, October 5, 2024, for local government elections in the state.
The commission had shifted the election earlier fixed for February 24, 2024, following a court order requesting an adjustment in the original guideline and timetable published in the official gazette of Enugu State government on 26 September 2023.
The postponement was under a High Court Enugu State judgment delivered by his lordship Justice C. O. Ajah in the case of Action Alliance vs Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission in suit no E/682/2023.
