The National Working Committee of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has criticized the Kogi State Government for proceeding with the Local Government Council elections despite ongoing floods and a court order.
In a statement released on Friday by SDP National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye, the party urged the state government to halt the elections to prevent further catastrophe, citing the flood crisis affecting over 180 communities and widespread hunger in the state.
The SDP condemned the decision as reckless and accused the government of imposing the election on the people amidst severe challenges. The statement highlighted the tension in Nigeria due to inflation, hunger, and insecurity, all linked to poor governance, and argued that the election should be postponed in line with the court order.
The party also criticized the state electoral commission for ignoring the provisions of the Electoral Act and disregarding an ongoing court case related to the election. Additionally, the SDP accused the Kogi State Government of tampering with the legitimate list of SDP candidates and promoting an unlawful election process.
The party called for the dissolution of state-owned election bodies, advocating for an impartial national body to handle local government elections, given the government’s alleged mismanagement of the electoral process.
