SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, (THEWILL) – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State Sunday warned the State House of Assembly against giving any consideration to whatever result is presented to it from last Saturday’s referendum on the creation of new Local Development Council Areas (LCDAs).
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, in Ado-Ekiti , the party based its call on the fact that the Assembly had been served notice of the suit filed by it challenging the said exercise.
The PDP added that its suit, filed on behalf of the party by the State Chairman, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, was duly served on the Assembly and that the appropriate thing to do in line with the custom of a legislative body is to stay action on such matters.
“The proof of service on the Assembly is there and the Assembly leadership knows the right thing to do, stay action on any matter in court until such is determined by the court.
“The legislators must know that as lawmakers, they must not act and behave as lawbreakers. We are aware of the pressure being mounted on them by the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but they must act as men and women of honour and integrity and to also note that posterity will judge everybody.
“What the APC lost, that is the support of the people to win election, which was shown on June 21 when it was roundly defeated in the governorship poll, it craves to have through the back door. Sorry, that is not possible.
“They conducted an illegal referendum because they know quite well that Ekiti SIEC is not properly constituted and there is a case challenging that.
“We are aware of their desperate plan to plunge the state into chaos following the heavy defeat they suffered in last month’s governorship election.
“There are many pressing issues affecting the smooth-running of local governments in the state that the outgoing government has refused to attend to and some were raised last week when members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) issued a strike notice to the government
“There is the non-payment of the minimum wage arrears despite deduction of N400 million from the councils to service e-payment, partial implementation of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS)/Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) which has placed council health workers below their counterparts at the state level.
“Subjecting local government workers to untold hardship through undue delay of council staff deductions, the usurpation of the councils in the area of running grants and functions of the Ministry of Local Government which is at variance with the operations of past administrations,” he said.
Oluwawole therefore urged well-meaning people and leaders of the state to prevail on the Kayode Fayemi administration to do the right thing, saying the corporate interest of the state was higher than that of his party or government.
