THE Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the judgment of a Lagos High Court, which compelled the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct elections into the local governments.

The PDP has, however, berated the plans and decision of the government to appeal the judgment, saying that the proposition has further exposed the ruling party and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode “as violators of the rule of law, wasteful and indeed jittery of elections at the grassroots.”

In a statement yesterday, the spokesman of the PDP, Taofik Gani, called on the citizens of the state to shun dealings with the councils, as presently constituted and demand compliance to the High Court ruling.”

According to Gani, “we hailed this judgment and indeed it signals that we still have credible and brave judges in the state. This council polls impasse was created by former governor Babatunde Fashola, a lawyer who ought to appreciate Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution by conducting the polls in October 2014 when the tenure of the council’s expired.”

By that section, only democratically elected local councils are recognised by the constitution.
“Governor Ambode is also not willing to conduct the polls. He should have done it within his first 100 days. He has deliberately neglected the polls because the APC is not popular at the grass roots for such elections. Thereby denying the people government of their choice. Now the court has compelled them.”

The PDP urged Ambode not to embark on prodigal governance by appealing the judgment, saying that the judgment is clear and a reflection of the rule of law. “To spend over N200 to appeal the judgment would be unfair to tax payers in the state. We thus expect that the State House of Assembly should consequently exercise its oversight function to empower the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) conduct the polls as directed by the court.”