By Boluwa Obahopo

LOKOJA—The All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the appointment of caretaker chairmen for the 21 local government councils in Kogi State by Governor Idris Wada, describing the action as an ‘’impunity of the executive.’’

National Coordinator of the Loyalty Group in the party, Dr. Goodman Akuh, who spoke yesterday in Lokoja in an interview with journalists said the use of co-ordinator or whatever name as head of a local government, ran contrary to the judgement of Justice Alaba Omolaiye-Ajileye of Kotokarfe High Court which removed the previous chairmen and ordered fresh elections into the council areas.

According to Akuh, “Justice Omolaiye- Ajileye, had delivered a judgement on Monday, December  8, 2014, in respect of a suit instituted against the state government and state electoral commission, SIEC, and declared that membership of the SIEC that conducted the May, 2013 local government election was constituted contrary to the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“The judgement also ordered for a fresh and properly conducted council poll in the state. But despite the judgement, the Kogi State government last week appointed 21 Senior Special Assistants, SSAs, to take over the administration of the local governments from the Directors of Local Governments.

“This is alien to our Constitution, unacceptable and unconstitutional. The appointment of coordinators  is an act of impunity by the state governor, Capt. Idris Wada.”

Akuh, however, admonished the new caretaker chairmen not to step into their council secretariats as the APC has instituted a suit challenging the action and would also sue the coordinators for contempt of court.

“I warn those appointed to stay clear of their councils as it is illegal for them to spend tax payers money. Anybody who does so will be dragged to court for prosecution,” he said.