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AGF Fagbemi calls for scrapping of State Electoral Commissions
By Francesca Hangeior.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has called for the scrapping of State Electoral Commissions.
Fagbemi stated that the existence of the commissions is the main impediment to the development of local governments.
He made this at a one-day ‘Discourse on National Nigeria’s Security Challenges and Good Governance at the Local Government Levels” in Abuja on Monday.
The programme, themed “Nigeria’s Security Challenges and Good Governance at the Local Government Levels,” was organized by the House of Representatives.
Fagbemi highlighted that governors have exploited the shortcomings and gaps in certain sections of the 1999 Constitution to weaken and make local governments ineffective.
The Minister of Justice pointed out that the most prevalent form of abuse in local government is the use of state electoral commissions for sham elections and governors’ preference for appointing caretaker leaders in local governments.
He therefore called for the elimination of State Electoral Commissions to foster true democratic practices within local governments.
He said; “To achieve this, many experts have proposed that there is need for the scrapping of the state independent electoral commission.
“Their functions and powers should be transferred to the independent national electoral commission because the state independent electoral commission remain an appendage to every incumbent governor. This is perceived as the root cause of the problem of local government administration in Nigeria.”
The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has condemned the alleged brutal killing of a 50-year-old Nigerian citizen, Jeremiah Okoye, by the country’s police, while in their custody.
Okoye, a native of Eziniffite Nnewi, in Anambra was said to have died while being detained in Limpopo Province, on Jan. 13.
NICASA President-General, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deceased’s death.
“We implore the police authorities to follow the rule of law in discharging their constitutional duties,” he said.
Onyekwelu said that Okoye, who resided at No. 71, Magazyn Street, Polokwane, Limpopo Province, had lived in the country for 22 years.
He said NICASA had officially informed the Nigerian High Commission and Consulate in South Africa, as well as contacted the Okoye family and friends in Limpopo, following the sad incident.
“Nigerian citizens in South Africa say no to police brutality and killings and demand justice for the late Okoye.
“Our lives matter, nationality is not criminality.
“We implore all our citizens to be law-abiding and allow the authorities to utilise all their resources, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Okoye,” he said.
Onyekwelu expressed hope that Okoye’s death would not become another statistic like others before him.
“The death of Nigerians in South Africa, particularly under police custody has become a recurring issue that needs to be stopped.
“We fear that these recurring deaths of Nigerians in police custody, if unchecked, will become a dangerous pattern. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” he added.
President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural address on 20 January will take place indoors due to dangerously cold weather being forecast next week in Washington, he has confirmed.
The address, as well as other speeches, will now take place inside the US Capitol’s rotunda, rather than outside the building.
The inaugural parade will also be held indoors at Washington’s Capitol One Arena, along with all three inaugural balls.
The last president to be sworn-in indoors was Ronald Reagan in 1985, when cold weather also plagued the US Capitol.
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