On Wednesday last week, Qaura appointed yet another set of caretaker chairmen to lord it over the 20 LGAs of Bauchi State. The second time this year and the third in Qaura’s a little over four years in office.
If you ask people in Bauchi, 8 out of 10 or 80 per cent will tell you that they would want to see the LGAs being managed by elected officials (chairmen and councillors). We all want an election, not a selection. It’s that simple. Elected officials would be accountable to the electorate while appointed puppets would only serve their lord appointor.
Certainly, we all detest what Qaura has been doing – the arbitrary appointment of persons, mostly corrupt and incompetent, to rule over us in our LGAs with devastating consequences: Meaningful development died. The unemployment rate is on the increase. Worsening insecurity. Poverty rate’s rocketing. Threatening hunger and malnutrition. Life expectancy decreased. Infant and maternal mortality month by month. Qaura is killing LGAs. This has to stop.
Undoubtedly, we are right and Qaura is wrong. Because, at least, the grundnorm is on our side. Section 7(1) of the Nigerian Constitution provides that: “The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall … ensure their existence….”
This section was interpreted, by the Supreme Court to mean two things. One, the appointment of caretaker chairmen to administer the LGAs is undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional. Two, local government council elections are necessary and obligatory. It’s the only lawful means of providing leadership to the local governments.
Therefore, Qaura’s appointment of caretaker chairmen and refusal to conduct LGA council elections is Haram, unconstitutional and undemocratic. Worse, Qaura’s actions or inactions constitute a wilful subversion of the Constitution he solemnly swore to protect and a contemptuous and egregious disobedience to the judgements of the Supreme Court. It’s treasonous and impeachable. Where’s the House of Assembly?
Now, while it’s clear the appointment of a caretaker is illegal and unconstitutional, it’s clearer to see why Qaura is always happy to go down the wrong path of unconstitutionality and illegality. The obvious ones are amassing naked power and corruption; the corrupt misappropriation of local governments’ funds. With every appointment of caretakers, Qaura is guaranteed unfettered access to the monies meant for the people of the LGAs. Qaura now unlawfully determines what happens to every Naira and Kobo belonging to the entire 20 LGAs of Bauchi.
Further, given the sorry state of affairs in our LGAs, it’s not hard to see that Qaura’s grossly misappropriating the monies and corruptly enriching himself and a few others leaving the LGAs and their citizenry in penury and misery. The good news is that Air Marshal is coming. As soon as he comes, Qaura would be held to account for the billions and billions of Nairas that accrued to the LGAs since 2019.
Lastly, Qaura must hear this: I heard that the people of Bauchi LGA in particular are doubly outraged this time around. Not only because Qaura violated the Constitution and disobeyed the Supreme Court but because he has gone against the Hadith of their beloved Prophet (SAW) that says: “No people who appoint a woman as their leader will ever prosper.” (Bukhari). But Bauchi shall flourish much to Qaura’s disrelish.
Saad, a lawyer is the Acting Chairman of APC Publicity Committee, Bauchi State and former Director-General of BASEPA.
