Gov Nwifuru Backs LG Autonomy, Holds Councils'Election

From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state has backed the supreme court judgement granting autonomy to local government areas. The governor made the disclosure after casting his vote in the local government area election exercise at his country home, Oferekpe Primary School yesterday.

Nwifuru who stated that he agreed on the supreme court judgement to some extend maintaining that the law should be respected by according it a judicial discretion. According to him, "Literally, I agree with supreme court in so many areas, and when it comes to some areas, I have my reservation since we are still studying the judgement.

"But after studying the judgement, definitely, all of us will come together to analyze the outcome of the judgement. but for me like I said earlier, I believe in democratically elected chairman or local government system because that's what the constitution says. "Constitution did not say, that the governors should appoint and so many people do get up and say that the constitution says that house of assembly should make laws for the operations and administration of local government, yes, but the constitution says that the local government must be democratically elected local government. "So, even if you are making law, any law made by the house of assembly that run inconsistency to the provisions of the constitution is null and void to the level of that inconsistency. "Therefore, since constitution says that it must be democratically elected,I think all of us the governors should strive to keep that provisions of the constitution alive because me I don't see the reason to appoint somebody in the local government except through the elections". Nwifuru stated.