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LG: Amid bribery allegation, house extends tenure 

By Isa AbdulsalamiAhovi, Jos
03 July 2016   |   1:32 am
Leading opposition party in Plateau State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) of levying and collecting the sum of N500, 000 ...

Plateau-State-government

Leading opposition party in Plateau State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) of levying and collecting the sum of N500, 000 each from the 17 local council caretaker committee chairmen in order to extend their tenure.

Curiously, as their tenure expired on June 30, Governor Simon Lalong communicated to the State House of Assembly, asking for the extension of the tenure of the caretaker chairmen from the usual two to six months.

After heated debate on the floor of the House, 10 PDP members who felt that it was unconstitutional to further extend the tenure, walked out on the plenary to register their displeasure.

However, in their absence, the matter was put to voice votes and subsequent approval, despite the fact that the chairmen have had their tenure extended for three times since they were first appointed in July 2015.

Allegations that the chairmen were taxing themselves to influence the lawmakers to grant their request came to light on Friday, when the State Secretary of PDP, Mr. John Akans, disclosed that he had it on record that the caretaker committee chairmen were contributing N500, 000 every month to the APC leadership in the state in order to extend their tenure.

But through its State Secretary, Alhaji Bashiru Musa Sati, APC said it was unthinkable to expect the chairman of the party to go so low to be asking for such money, even as he enjoined the people to disregard the assertion as figment of the imagination of the author.

Sati, who addressed journalists on the matter noted that as a drowning party, PDP was looking for any straw to clutch, adding that the party in the state is desperate for power at all costs, as they can go to any length to make such grave allegation.

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