Following the landmark judgement by the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirming the autonomy and democratic governance of Local Governments, the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance has called on the Kaduna State Governor to remove the caretaker committee currently administering the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area.
In a statement issued by the group’s Chairman, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari, the organization highlighted that the installation of a caretaker committee by the Kaduna State government violates Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution. This section, as reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, mandates that all Local Government Areas should have democratically elected leadership.
Nagwari explained that despite an election being held on October 23, 2021, where Yusha’u Ibrahim Aboki was declared the winner, only four councillors were issued certificates of return.
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Yusha’u Aboki was denied a certificate, and instead, a caretaker committee was imposed by the state government.
“An election was conducted, and the declaration was made on October 25, 2021, by the Returning Officer at the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Chamber,” Nagwari stated. “Despite a court order served to the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) on January 12, 2022, to issue a certificate of return to the winner, the order was not obeyed.”
The group also highlighted that a notice of consequences for disobedience to the court order was served to SIECOM through the Attorney General of Kaduna State on November 10, 2022, warning that failure to comply would result in contempt of court charges.
As advocates for security and good governance, the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard expressed deep concern over the current administration of the local government, which they argue is in direct violation of the constitution and the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Our demands
1. Immediate Intervention: The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the National Assembly, the Director General of the State Security Service, the Inspector General of Police, the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Attorney General of Kaduna State, and the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, to intervene and restore a democratically elected local government chairman and councillors in Birnin-Gwari.
2. Swearing-in of Elected Officials: They urged the Kaduna State Government to swear in the winner of the chairmanship election held on October 23, 2021, for a three-year term and to comply with the judgments of the Local Government Election Tribunal and the State High Court by instructing SIECOM to issue certificates of return to the elected officials.
3. Dissolution of Caretaker Committee: The group demanded the immediate dissolution of the caretaker committee to pave the way for the democratically elected leadership.
4. Withholding of Allocations: Pending full compliance with the Supreme Court judgment, they called for the Accountant General of the Federation to withhold further allocations to the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area.
The Birnin-Gwari Vanguard urged political leaders, community leaders, and citizens to uphold federal principles and work towards enhancing good governance, and improved security at the grassroots, peace, and development through democratic governance in their community.
