By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Cross River chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, on Wednesday gave the governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, a three-month ultimatum to conduct local government elections to pave way for the participation of grassroot people in governance.
IPAC dropped the ultimatum in a six-point resolution drawn by an enlarged general meeting of the group, which held on Wednesday, to mark Democracy Day, June 12.
The Cross River State IPAC chairman, Engr. Effiom Okon, said that the ultimatum became necessary following the Federal Government’s directives and the court rulings on local government autonomy.
Speaking on behalf of IPAC on the topic: ‘Urgent Call For Local Government Elections In Cross River State,’ Engr. Okon said that the only way to bring inclusivity in governance is to conduct local government elections.
Resolution from the meeting, signed by the Chairman IPAC, Okon, the state Secretary, Omari Eje, and read to members by IPAC state Publicity Secretary, Maxwell Odigha, challenged the National Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, to investigate the management and disbursement of local government funds.
Part of the resolution said, “The Cross River State government must conduct local government elections without delay, before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, takes over.
“This is not only a constitutional requirement, but also a necessary step towards grassroots development.
“The conduct of local government elections is a constitutional mandate, as enshrined in Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Local government elections will provide privilege for marginalized communities, who lacked representation at the state and federal levels to participate in governance.”
The group called for the establishment of a three-man committee, chaired by Dr. Ekpenyong Ambo, to oversee the local government election process and ensure the people’s demands are met; the dissolution of the Conference of National Political Parties, CNPP and Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, due to internal conflicts and unauthorized operations and inauguration of caretaker committees to manage the affairs of CNPP and CUPP pending elections.
The group kicked against working with Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs on Women Affairs, Nkoy Otu, and requested a statutory Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs from the government.
It added, “Our observation is that the Chief Press Secretary CPS to the state governor, Mr. Nsa Gill, was appointed from NUJ as well and the the Special Adviser on Labour was also appointed from NLC, because every organisation understands its dynamics, and uses that to their advantage to communicate if need be.
‘We appeal that IPAC should not be an exception. Our appeal is that an SA Inter-Party Affairs should be appointed from amongst our party leaders.
“Nkoyo Otu lacks the capacity and experience to lead political parties having not been a party chairman.
“The period she interfaced with our women leaders, we got reports that she invited them against party leadership.”
Efforts to get Nkoyo to react to the issue we’re unsuccessful, as at the time of filing this report on Thursday, as her telephone line was switched off.
