David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the South-east region has blamed insecurity in the zone on non-conduct of local government area election by governors of the stats in the zone.
The party stated this during its South-east leadership retreat held in Awka, Anambra State, urging the five South-east governors to quickly conduct local government election in their states or risk being dragged to court.
The National Vice Chairman, Southeast, of the party, Hon Chilos Godsent, who addressed journalists after the retreat, said if the governors failed to heed to their cry, the party would institute court cases against them, beginning with the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
He said: “We are urging all the governors in the Southeast to immediately conduct local government election.
“The insecurity in the zone can be traced to non-conduct of local government election. Majority of the youths that you find out today who are engaged in one crime or another are the same people that would have been chairmen of local government area, councillors, and supervisory councillors.
“The youths, who are perpetuating insecurity today are the same people who would have been benefiting from local contracts, some would have been special advisers and senior special advisers.
“The benefits of holding local government election in the Southeast is much, and we are calling on the governors of the zone to rise up and hold elections. Holding the election can mitigate the tendency of escalating conflict in the region.”
Godsent regretted that the governors have converted the local government councils into their personal property and converted its funds by appointing their lackeys as sole administrators and transition committee chairmen.
“They use them as conduit to loot the coffers of the local government, and this is unacceptable. Even the House of Assembly in many states have been pocketed by governors and that too is unacceptable.
“We are making this as a call to them, and our next step is to take a legal action against all the state governors to compel them to hold elections in their state,” he stated.
