DINO SUES BELLO, OTHERS OVER LG POLLS

Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West senatorial district at the National Assembly on Thursday sued the Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the State House of Assembly and others before the Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja over the non conduct of local government election.

Dino in the suit is asking the court to declare the composition of caretaker committees for the 21 local government areas of the state as illegal, null and void.

Also joined as defendants in the suit include the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Kogi State Local Government Service Commission and the State Independent Electoral Commission.

Others joined in the suit were the Joint Local Government Accounts Allocation Committee, the 21 local government areas of the state, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the minister of finance, the Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee and the Inspector General of Police.

The suit supported by a 30-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Melaye, sought 13 reliefs which include a declaration that the governor in pursuance of Section 56(1-6) Kogi state local government law 2008 could not appoint local government transition committees, sole administrators for the local government areas.

He also prayed the court to declared that the governor in line with the section 1(3) and Section 7(1) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria "cannot exercise its power in such a manner as to have delayed, refused or neglected to conduct local government elections for the purposes of constituting the various local government councils".

The suit also prayed the court for a declaration that " upon the interpretation of Section 7 of the Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account) Act Cap A15, LFN2004 there cannot exist a validly and lawfully constituted Joint Local Government Account Allocation Committee for the purpose of administering all sums of money accruing to the local government areas".

The lawmaker is also asking for a declaration restraining the governor, the House of Assembly among others from constituting or appointing any person as  caretaker committee or sole administrator.

The suit also asked for injunction directing the governor and other defendants from appropriating, expending or dealing with revenues accruing to the local government areas.

Daily Trust reports that the suit is coming virtually 24 hours after the state assembly approved a six month tenure extension for the 21 local government sole administrators earlier constituted by the Kogi State governor last year