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PDP attacks Gov Otti over alleged plan to reduce LGA chairmen’s tenure - Voice of Nigeria Forum

PDP attacks Gov Otti over alleged plan to reduce LGA chairmen’s tenure - Buzzyforum

PDP attacks Gov Otti over alleged plan to reduce LGA chairmen’s tenure

Profile Picture by BishopNuel at 09:33 am on March 6, 2025
By Ugochukwu Alaribe

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia State chapter, has slammed Governor Alex Otti over what it described as his ill-advised move to reduce the tenure of elected Local Government Chairmen in the state from four years to two years through the State House of Assembly.

The party stated that the move is unconstitutional, undemocratic and a direct affront to the rule of law and urged the Governor to reconsider it, focus on pressing issues that affect the daily lives of Abia people, and uphold the principles of fairness and justice that democracy demands.

The PDP also urged the public and civil society organizations to resist any action that undermines the rule of law.

The state chairman of the PDP, Elder Abraham Amah, disclosed in a statement that the party in the state rejects any attempt to alter the tenure of duly elected council Chairs and tasked the State House of Assembly to also reject the proposal and uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

It warned that the move is an abuse of power that seeks to erode the sanctity of democratic institutions and disenfranchise the people who voted the officials into office under a clear four-year mandate.

The party said, “Your Excellency, How would you feel if the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria initiated steps through the National Assembly to reduce the tenure of Governors from four years to two years? Would you not consider it an unjust and destabilizing move? Would you not resist such a proposal as an attack on democracy?

“Democracy thrives on predictability and respect for established rules. The Local Government elections were conducted based on a four-year tenure, and those elected were sworn in accordingly. The attempt to retroactively alter their tenure is not only a gross miscarriage of justice but also tantamount to rigging the system in favor of a predetermined outcome. No responsible democratic government should seek to change the rules in the middle of the game, as such actions make a mockery of governance and the electoral process.

“Your administration should be mindful that governance is a trust, one that requires fairness, transparency, and respect for constitutional order. By attempting to alter the legally established tenure of elected officials, you undermine not only the local government system but also the credibility of governance at all levels.

“Should your administration succeed in this unjust and illegal bid, it would set a dangerous precedent where elected officials at any level of government could be arbitrarily stripped of their tenures by those in power. This would expose the entire democratic process to political manipulations that threaten the stability of governance in Abia State and Nigeria at large.

“If your government proceeds with this plan, it would also open the door for future leaders to alter gubernatorial tenure in Abia State, just as you are attempting to do at the local government level. This could mean a future administration might arbitrarily truncate your tenure before it is due to end, using the same legislative maneuvering you now seek to deploy against local government chairmen.”




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/pdp-attacks-gov-otti-over-alleged-plan-to-reduce-lga-chairmens-tenure/
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