By Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja
The Lamidi Apapa-led faction of Labour Party (LP) has threatened to embark on protest against the Bayelsa State Governor, Douyi Diri, over his refusal to conduct local council elections in the state.
While noting that the governor’s action is against constitutional provisions, the faction accused the governor of deliberately impeding development at the grassroots.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the factional National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, lamented that funds intended for local councils in Bayelsa State were being withheld by the state government instead of being allocated to democratically elected council officials.
He said: “The governor cannot deny the importance and significance of the grassroots to the development of the state, as local councils were created to help establish, nurture, sustain democracy and democratic political culture, because giving them powers to function effectively stabilises and strengthens the political system since they are closer to the people
“Furthermore, the importance of councils in ensuring democratic representation for the people at the grassroots level cannot be overemphasised, and the people of Bayelsa State particularly those at the grassroots deserve elected officials who can effectively advocate for their needs and drive development initiatives.
“We are concerned that funds intended for councils in Bayelsa State are being withheld by the state government instead of being allocated to democratically elected officials, and we view the development as a deliberate neglect of the councils, contradicting the governor’s claims of pursuing a prosperous administration.
“Furthermore, the Labour Party strongly condemns the utilisation of civil servants to administer councils affairs, and we described it as an unconventional, unconstitutional and backward approach. We maintain that the delay in conducting the elections may be driven by the governor’s political agenda, contrary to his earlier statements of prioritising the people’s development over political maneuvers.”
Source: The Guardian