Abba Moro, the Senate minority leader and senator representing Benue South, Abba Moro, on Wednesday, condemned the recent dissolution of local government chairmen in the state by Governor Hyacinth Alia, describing it as “lawlessness”.
Moro, while expressing his disapproval of the Governor’s action in an interview on Channels TV, stated that it was a violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
He added that the governor had no power to dissolve elected officials unilaterally, and such actions could only be taken through due process and legal means.
He said, “Let me say clearly from the beginning, the constitution doesn’t provide for caretaker. Two years plus ago, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Ekiti State that sacked council chairmen that the governors do not have the power to sack local government council and constitute caretaker committees.
“And even went further to say that the state houses of assembly do not have the power to dissolve council and that the state governors do not hide under laws made by the state assembly to dissolve elected councils.
“How can you now say you are investigating 23 local governments and 276 council wards and all of them have been found corrupt? If you find somebody, prosecute him.
“The issue now is that the action that the State House of Assembly has taken, which the said he followed, is wrong. What is wrong is wrong.
“This is the lawlessness that is taking place in Benue State. Is that correct? We must rise up against this thing.”