By Musa Baba Adamu
The former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Hon Simeon Achuba has called for the abolition of the States Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) so as to pave the way for credible election at the States level.
He also advocated for the abrogation of the States/Local Government Joint Account.
He said for the Country to be respected and recognized as the giant of Africa, we must be seen to be doing what qualifies us as the giant of Africa.
In an interview exclusively granted to our correspondent, Achuba asked if it does not call for question and worry that the former United States President, a son of Africa, Barack Obama came to Africa but went to Ghana and refused to come to Nigeria because we are not known for doing good things.
According to him, SIEC exists to do the bidding of the States Governors and that is why anytime elections are held at the local level, it is the ruling party that sweeps the poll without leaving anything left for the opposition.
“Democracy without opposition makes a mockery of the game because viable opposition and intellectual engagement that will make the exercise interesting and exciting are lost”, Achuba Stated.
The Former Deputy Governor also said the States and Local Government Joint Account should be disbanded because many councils do not even know how much is coming to them nor have direct access to the account.
He said that what many Governors do is to give any amount they feel like to the Chairmen, which he said explains why there is no development in any Local Government in the Country today.
He said it is not as if the Federal Government has abandoned the Councils, but what is due to them does not get to them because Governors sit on them.
He lamented that Governors divert what belongs to the Councils into their personal pockets and spend it and in some cases give whatever they feel like to the Chairmen.
Achuba explained that his rift with his former boss, Yahaya Bello, was not personal, but a desire to see that Kogi State, as a gateway to both the North and South, becomes an envy to behold in terms of development.
He added that he has nothing against the Governor other than to see that their tenure leaves behind a good legacy.
According to him, there was a time President Muhammadu Buhari was billed to visit Kogi State, but suddenly, a security report had it that there was nothing for him to commission in Kogi State and that was how the visit was cancelled.
“I felt worried and disturbed that for almost three years in Government, there was no development and nothing to be commissioned by the President,” he stated.
But unfortunately, the current Deputy, Edward Onoja, was playing roles that suggested to the Governor as if he was helping him (Governor), while his interest was to see he is impeached and now it is clear to the Governor that Onoja had a different agenda.
