Melaye Sues Kogi Governor, Others Over LG Elections

The lawmaker representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye, has sued the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello over the non-conduct of Local Government elections.

The lawmaker in the suit asked the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja to declare the constitution of the Caretaker Committees for the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state illegal, null and void.

Apart from Governor Bello, the suit also has as defendants the Kogi State House of Assembly, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kogi State Local Government Service Commission, as well as the State Independent Electoral Commission and the 21 LGAs in the state.

Others joined in the suit include the Joint Local Government Account Allocation Committee, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Minister of Finance, the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee and the Inspector General of Police.

The suit, supported by a 30-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Senator 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 and sole administrators for the LGAs.

He also asked the court to declare that the State Government, in line with sections 1(3) and 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”.

Having prayed for the declaration of the Joint Local Government Account Allocation Committee illegal, the suit also claimed that releasing money for the committee was illegal, and should be declared unlawful and unconstitutional.

The lawmaker further asked the court to make a declaration restraining Governor Bello and the House of Assembly among others from constituting or appointing any persons as caretaker committees or sole administrators.

The suit also requested for an injunction directing the governor and other defendants from appropriating, expending or dealing with revenue accruing to the LGAs.