The embattled Local Government Chairman in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Hon. David Racha, has said that Governors who had not conducted Local Government elections in their states were only hiding under the guise of lack of funds to pressure the Federal Government to soft pedal on the matter.

Racha stated this in response to a statement made by the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Plateau State, Alh. Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, that Governor Lalong’s inability to conduct LG elections was due to lack of funds.

According to the LG boss, “there has been talk recently to the effect that in the near future, only Local Government Councils with elected LG Chairmen, will receive allocations from the Federation Account and this has put a lot of pressure on State Governors who do not have elected Councils in place.

The lack of funds as an excuse is, in part, to pressure the Federal Government to soft pedal on the matter, to win sympathy from the All Progressive Congress apologists and to buy time for the State Governors and, most importantly, to forestall any attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to challenge the legitimacy of the so-called Management Committees in court.

The case against the Lagos State Government, in 2015, outlawing Management Committees, or by whatever names they’re called, is a thorn in the flesh of APC”, Racha said.

Also, the Senator representing Plateau Southern Zone in the Federal House of Assembly, Jeremiah Useni popularly known as ‘Jerry Boy’ told journalist that if LG elections were conducted, PDP would reclaim the Local Government Councils.

He stated that the only reason the PDP lost in the governorship elections was because of the mistake of imposition of candidate from the former governor, Sen. Jonah David Jang.

In his words, “the APC and the state governor know that anytime LG elections are conducted, the PDP will prove their supremacy and reclaim their dominance”, he said.

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David Racha: Lalong hiding under lack of funds to evade conducting LG polls