Lagos PDP Plans to Burn Down Markets - LG Chiefs
Party says allegation unfounded
By Deji Elumoye, Shaka Momodu and Lola Adewoyin
The Conference of Local Government Chairmen in Lagos State has raised alarm over alleged plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in the state to burn down major markets and various local government establishments in the state.
The Lagos PDP in a swift reaction has, however, dismissed the allegation.
Briefing newsmen at the weekend in Lagos on the operations of local government councils in Lagos State, the local government chairmen led by their dean, Alhaji Muniru Muse of Apapa Local Government council said the PDP/FERMA plan was to burn Ikosi Plank Market in Ikosi- Isheri Local Government Area, the Jubilee Market in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government and the City Hall, Lagos as a way of attacking the councils revenue base.
Alleging that the orchestrated plan was to finally culminate in the declaration of a state of emergency in Lagos State, Muse called on the police to act now before the populace begins to believe that the police are hands in glove with the perpetrators of this arson plan.
He accused the PDP and the Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, of running parallel governments through the use of 60 Special Implementation Assistants (SIA) appointed by the Minister. Most of the SIAs, he said, are former chairmanship aspirants of the PDP.
Muse said attacks by the PDP on the revenue base of the councils despite various court cases and even one on-going petition at the Supreme Court have shown their disdain for constitutionalism and rule of law.
"Obviously frustrated at the failure of all their attempts to cripple the new councils, the Lagos PDP has resorted to antics that are capable of destroying the very foundation of democracy not only in Lagos State but in Nigeria as a whole.
"We will no longer allow a situation whereby political rascals, who neither understand nor believe in democracy, openly insult and assault the sacred mandate, reposed in us by the people," he said.
Describing the attacks on the council by FERMA personnel as unconstitutional, illegal, and immoral, Muse said contrary to the Supreme Court judgement of June 13, 2003 which gave state governments superior powers over Town Planning Laws, FERMA agents still prowl the state determined to cause a breach of peace.
He said the councils will not fold their arms. "On our part we are serving a clear notice today that the days of attempting to run invisible parallel governments in our Local Governments through Senator Ogunlewe's Special Implementation Assistants are over," Muse said.
He noted that councils will exercise their "democratic right to self - defence and right to defend their mandate. If those who have the duty to protect these rights refuse for any reason to do so, the people will defend themselves."
Muse surrounded by 40 out of the 57 local government chairmen, also noted that the various agents of the Councils will in line with their duties and responsibilities return to collect revenue at the motor parks and markets regardless of FERMA's actions.
Displaying various receipts issued and bearing FERMA's logo collecting tolls and dues on markets, goods and vehicles, the LG boss said this gives lies to the claims in the newspapers credited to the Minister of Works that FERMA has not been collecting tolls.
Reacting to the LG chairman's allegations, PDP Director of Publicity in the South-west zone, Mr. Muyiwa Collins, described as unfounded the submission of the chairmen.
Collins who spoke on phone with our reporter yesterday evening described the allegations as uncalled for. He said the council chairmen have resorted to cheap blackmail "because of the withholding of their allocation from the Federation Account."
"I am aware that the non-release of federal allocation to local government councils in Lagos is making the Alliance for Democracy (AD) government in Lagos to resort to blackmail with this their allegations that are very baseless and unfounded."
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