Govs destabilising democratic process – Okorie

Chief Chekwas Okorie is the national chairman of the United Peoples Party (UPP). He speaks on the dissolution of council executives. DGossip247 reports

How do you see the dissolution of elected local government executives by governors or the court?

It is very disturbing because it has to do with the law of the land. Governors ought to allow the local government system to thrive so far the election of local government chairmen followed due process. But we have seen that some governors are not doing that; they are dissolving local government chairmen at will.

Unfortunately, the court that has to deal with this issue has not been reliable in terms of justice because there is no change from the old order that he who has more money gets justice.Our justice delivery system has remained very disappointing. This is the unfortunate part, otherwise governors wouldn’t be doing it but they are doing it because they believe the judiciary will pander to the wishes of the power that be.

So, the situation is disturbing and the judiciary would have to look at it very well because before you begin to go through all the process to the Supreme Court, the tenure you are talking about would have expired. It has happened like that before.

What do you think is the implication of this?

It is the destabilisation of democratic process, especially at the grassroots level where it ought to be deepened. It was said that politics is local and the grassroots level, which local government represent is a starting point of any democratic development and growth. So, if it is now being toyed with by governors, it portends danger to our democracy. So, everybody should condemn it and local governments should be made stronger to make it difficult for governors to do as they wish.

What is your take on local government autonomy?

I have always been in support of it because that is the only way there would be development at the grassroots. We know that in a country that practise presidential system of government, local governments are major base for grassroots development and I have always call for their autonomy.