ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi
The 20 newly elected Chairmen and their deputies in Saturday’s local government council elections in Bauchi State have been sworn in.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that the local government council elections in Bauchi State were last held about 12 years ago.
The oaths of office and allegiance were administered on the Council leaders by Justice Hamidu Kunaza who represented the Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar at a ceremony which held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Bauchi.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed warned the Chairmen against indolence and corrupt practices in the discharge of their duties.
“What the people of Bauchi want is work, service, infrastructure. I assure you, we are going to give you autonomy to give you the little resources that you need.
“You must work with us to free resources in your local Councils. Ghost workers that are taking our money at the primary level especially Primary Health Care, Primary Education and even local workers must be freed.
“Don’t go and create your own ghost workers because that is the circle of corruption that we inherited. Everybody that becomes a Chairman or Councillor, wi have his own number if ghost workers that will bring money to him at home. I know by your pedigree, you will not do that.
“We are going to supervise you but we are not going to micro-manage you, we will make sure you do the correct thing.
Am urging the Ministry for Local Government and the Department of Local Government Affairs to make sure they work with you,” he stated.
Mohammed reminded the Chairmen that they are the first level of responsibility as Chief Security Officers in their local government areas.
He said: “We have a lot of problems of security, we at the level of the State government cannot do it without you, you and our natural rulers, the Emirs, the District Heads, the Village Heads and the rest, you have the primary responsibility of ensuring that our people are safe and secure.
“You must be able to engage the people in terms community engagement and you must engage our Stakeholders who participated and contributed positively on bringing you into office, while maintaining your own independence and autonomy as leaders.”
According to Mohammed, the conduct of the council elections after 12 years was a was a way of deepening democracy by his administration.
“It is after 12 years that we are witnessing such an occasion (swearing in of elected Council Chairmen).
Caretaker system is only political aberration and we are able to conduct elections under the guidance of the traditional rulers.
“This is a prove that we are deepening and we are doing it the way it should be. We thank the people of Bauchi for electing these sons into the various local government councils,” he stated.
The newly elected Chairmen are: Yusuf Garba – Alkaleri, Muhammad Ma’aji – Bauchi, Iliya Habila – Bogoro, Waziri Ayuba – Dambam, Mahmud Bello – Darazo, Muhammad Suleiman – Dass, Babayo Kasuwa – Gamawa, Dayabu Dariya – Ganjuwa, Usama Saleh – Giade, Abdullahi Maigari – Itas Gadau, Samaila Jarma – Jama’are.
Others are: Abdullahi Kuda – Katagum, Garba Musa – Kirfi, Abubakar Muhammad – Misau, Mahmud Hassan – Ningi, Mahmud Abbaa – Shira, Danjuma Mazadu – Tafawa Balewa, Adamu Babanyaro – Toro, Adamu Muhammad – Warji and Yahuza Abdulkadir – Zaki.
Meanwhile, the All Progressive Congress, Bauchi State Chapter, has rejected the result of the local government elections.
The party alleged that security personnel were used by the PDP and the State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) in making false declaration of winners.
The party which disassociated itself from the “broad- day light robbery of the peoples mandate” said it shall within the confines of the law strive to restore the said mandate at the appropriate time.
Chairman of the party in the state, Alh. Ubah Nana made the party’s position known while addressing journalists at the party secretariat on Sunday.
He said: ”We reject in totality the purported results and declaration of winners of the Local Government Elections as effected by PDP and BASIEC on 17th October 2020.
” Any person sworn in to office based on the unlawful PDP/BASIEC results shall be occupying the seat illegally and without the support of his peoples’.
” We shall be reluctant to engage in a futile exercise of submitting ourselves to the jurisdiction of the Local Government Election Tribunal inaugurated in Bauchi on 13th October 2020, as we may not get the justice we demand from the members as presently constituted’.
” It’s important to stress that we have no confidence in the composition of the said Tribunal and thus, we may not file any petition to avoid an exercise in futility. This is for the simple reasons that:
” Two of the chairmen and some members of the Local Government Election Tribunal are partisan politicians who constantly identify with the ruling party ,PDP, in Bauchi state. For instance, some of then are certified PDP members and they have handled several election petitions for the party, particularly, in the 2019 National and State Assembly Election Tribunal in the State.
” In addition, these lawyers are constantly involved in political activities at the instant of the ruling PDP in Bauchi State. Their appointment as members and chairmen of the election Tribunal is clearly in breach of section 59 (1) & (2) of the Bauchi State Electoral Law, 2008”
In a reaction, the state chairman of the PDP , Alh. Hamza Akuyam while reacting to the allegations by APC in a phone interview with our Correspondent said the party can seek redress in court if it wants.
He said ”The APC was in government in the last four years and couldn’t conduct a local government election.
“Besides we did not disqualify. Let me give you a brief history, the electoral committee of BASIEC (Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission) was constituted by the previous APC administration. If they have any problem with the election, let them go to the Tribunal.
”The police they claim is being used to intimidate their supporters and members is been controlled by the Federal Government and the FG is controlled by APC so can how we use them as mechanism for rigging.”
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