LGA Poll: The cheering news from Nasarawa under gov. Sule

LGA Poll: The cheering news from Nasarawa under gov. Sule
By Dr. Musa Ahmed Mohammed, (Baraden Nasarawa)
Anyone who closely monitor the conduct of the election into the 13 local government areas that make up Nasarawa State, and the events before and after it would no doubt thumb up for Governor Abdulahi A. Sule, the chief executive of the Home of Solid Minerals.
That the election passed the litmus test of integrity is not in doubt judging by the post-poll rating by both the international and domestic observers as the most free, fairest and credible election into the third tier of government since the country returns to democratic in 1999.
Certain actions of Governor Abdullahi Sule apparently stand the election out: First is the governor’s penchant to put in place an enabling environment for the opposition political parties to thrive, and express themselves unhindered. Even when the opposition actors took advantage of the gesture and launched unbridled tantrums inform of open attacks on his person and personality, he ignores same, while also barring his aides from taking any action against perpetrators.
In some states the sitting governments and oppositions figures are often at war with loyalists on both sides engaging each other on the streets, but not Sule’s Nasarawa. In the face of intense provocation, his messages are always those of unity and love. Such disposition has earned him the enviable toga of a “man of peace” with many opposition figures jettisoning their political differences to cultivate his friendship.
This peaceful atmosphere he created permeated the last local government election across state with all actors going about the business of day without any rancor or breach of peace.
The election also passed the integrity test because of the spirit of fair play entrenched in the political system in the state by the governor. Unlike some of his peers, Governor Sule is not someone who will needlessly abuse his executive power to emasculate the opposition and turns the tide in favour of his ruling party. He allowed every political parties and actors in the race to test their popularity in a free and fair contest. By so doing some political parties and candidates were able to win some legislative seats and the outcome of such were allowed to stand.
Such development could not have happened in other states where the chief executives have absolute control of the system and all the institutions relating to the local government election. In such states, the ruling party claim all seats-both executive and legislative even in areas termed as the opposition strongholds. However, in Nasarawa, both the Labour Party (LP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) won some legislative seats in some wards and local government areas.
What is more fundamental about this scenario was that the State Electoral umpire upheld the election at those respective wards and went ahead to announce the result as well as issued certificates of return to the respective winners. This is unprecedented in an era where state chief executives ride roughshod in matters concerning the local government areas which have literary become their appendages.
It is also noteworthy that the process leading to the eventual conduct of the election also elicited commendation because of the governor’s immense respect for rule of law. Those who monitored the development from the early stage when the electoral umpire headed by its chairman, Barrister Ayuba Usman had to cancel all scheduled activities leading to the conduct of the poll which supposed to take place on August 31st in honour of a court summon halting the process, would understand this. For those who have not been following the development relating to the local government election, a recount is necessary here.
NASIEC had earlier slated the conduct of the poll to 31st August, 2024. However, the commission was served with an Originating Summons by the Federal High Court, Lafia in a matter filed by one Paul A. John, Esq. and 12 Others against the State House of Assembly and the commission, challenging Section 8(e) of the State Local Government Election Law, 2018 and Sections 3j, 3k and 9 of the Local Government Councils Elections Guidelines, 2024.
Following the development, the commission had to postponed all scheduled activities leading to the conduct of the poll indefinitely until the litigation was decided.
“Having had our day in court by emerging victorious, the court dismissed the suit and upheld all our contentions. The plaintiffs, being dissatisfied with the judgement, filed a Notice of Appeal at the Court of Appeal Makurdi but have suddenly filed a Notice of Withdrawal/Discontinuance of Notice of Appeal on Thursday 26th September, 2024 thus clearing the way for the conduct of the 2024 Local Government Councils Elections.
“The commission has after studying and analyzing the judgement of the Federal High Court Lafia decided to issue a Notice of Election and slated the conduct of the 2024 Local Government Councils Elections to hold on 2nd November, 2024,” chairman of the commission, Barrister Usman had explained the circumstance to journalists in one of his outings in Lafia.
Having sidestepped the legal bobby traps on it way, the commission went ahead to conduct what was adjudged as one of the most transparent elections into the council on November 2nd. The takeaways from this rigmarole are that a credible and transparent election in Nigeria is possible under an equally transparent and accountable leadership that Governor Abdullahi Sule represents in the “Home of Solid Mineral”.
Beyond overseeing the conduct of the most credible poll at the third tier, Governor Sule has also written his name in gold as the champion of the autonomy for all the 774 local government areas in the country. Recall that the country’s Apex Court had in July, 2024 granted full autonomy to the councils in what analysts described as pro-grassroots and transformative.
They opined that the judgement would save the chairmen from decades of “slavery” in the hands of the states’ chief executives, and the grassroots from many years of underdevelopment.
While many were struggling to come to term with consequences of the ruling, Governor Sule went ahead to put in place structure for its implementation. He then sworn in another set of local government chairmen.
The ceremony which brought all the stakeholders in the state’s political firmament together, kicked started the journey of the third tier to the much-awaited independence.
However, before the Supreme Court judgement on the matter, council chairmen under Sule have had their independence and freedom to operate without any interference from the state’s chief executive.
The councils enjoyed their statutory allocation from the federation account as envisaged, and in most cases where such are not enough to meet the salaries obligations, Governor Sule magnanimously augment same with the state funds, while also meeting the development needs at the grassroots.
It is imperative to note that Governor Sule so far is the only state chief executive that has provided the leeway for the councils to operate effectively without any encumbrances. That is why he deserves our commendations for standing by the people and propelling the much-needed development at the grassroots.
Dr. Musa Ahmed Mohammed (Baraden Nasarawa) is the Accountant General of Nasarawa state, He was also the speaker Nasarawa state House of Assembly from 2007- 2015.