PDP to Sue Masari over Appointment of LG Caretaker Committee Chairmen

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday has said the recent appointment of the caretaker committee chairmen of the 34 Local Government Areas of the state by Governor Aminu Bello Masari was illegal and unconstitutional, saying it would take legal action against the governor.

Governor Masari recently appointed the 34 caretaker committee chairmen that would pilot the affairs of the 34 LGAs, pending when elections will be conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission.

The governor then, said he exercised his right in pursuance to section 80 of the local government administrative law despite a pending case at the Supreme Court on the tenure of the dissolved LG chairmen.

But the State Chairman of the PDP in the state, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Magijiri, in a press conference yesterday, said the dissolution of the elected local government council in the state by Governor Masari on July 10, 2015 was a gross violation of section 7 of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“The dissolution of the elected local government council in the state on July 10, 2015 was a gross violation of the relevant section of the constitution particularly section 7 of the 1999 constitution. We challenged this action at Katsina High Court and later appealed the unfavourable judgment at the Appeal court’’

“The case is already at the supreme court awaiting judgement but the state government in its bid to challenge the independence of the Judiciary went ahead to constitute illegal care taker committees’’

He further alleged that the state government under the watch of Masari is yet to account for a whopping “N460 billion” representing the total amount of money accruing from collectable revenues from the federation account between May 2015 and May 2018.

’’We therefore wish to implore the state government to offer convincing explanation on the funds received from the federation account for both the two tiers of government and also how these funds were spent because since the advent of the regime it has not commissioned a project worth N2 billion anywhere.

“The government’s act of impunity are unfortunate considering the fact that the governor at one time was a principal lawmaker. The arm of government that is supposed to be responsible for preservation and enforcement of the law is unfortunately being the law bender and breaker”.