The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda has assured that said that the state would soon conduct local government elections in compliance with the judgement of the Supreme Court.
TheHintsNews reports that apex court had in its ruling said it was an act of gross misconduct paying local government allocation through states.
Justice Emmanuel Agim-led seven-man panel also upheld the position of the federal government that state governors lack authority under the law to arbitrarily dissolve democratically-elected local governments councils and set up caretaker committees in their place as ubiquitously practiced.
However, Radda in a statement issued Saturday in Abuja by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed the local government elections in the state would be conducted at the expiration of the tenure of the new local government chairmen.
The governor revealed that party primaries had been conducted in line with electoral best practices, adding that some chairmen who are currently serving would return through a democratic process,
He noted: “I did not call you all today to interpret the judgment. Katsina State is a law-abiding state and will operate under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have asked the state attorney general to give me a full report on the legal implications of the Supreme Court’s decision.
“As you know, I was once the chairman of Charanchi Local Government during the administration of our beloved President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. I was involved in the day-to-day administration of my local government, and I am fully aware of the challenges and pains most of you are facing.”
“We have already carried out party primaries in line with electoral best practices, and some current chairmen will return through a democratic process.
“In this dispensation, we are most likely the only state to transition from one democratically elected local government council to another.”
The governor acknowledged that the state was facing various socio-economic challenges coupled with insecurity in various local governments.
According to him, When I took office in 2023, over 20 local governments were ravaged by insecurity. Our concerted efforts have reduced insecurity to the fringes of the frontline local governments.
