Council Chairman Ubandoma says Plateau has no local government sovereignty

Hon. Joshua Ubandoma, the embattled Chairman of Plateau State’s Langtang North Local Government Area, has stated that the state’s Local Government Councils have never had financial autonomy, as claimed by Governor Simon Lalong.

He stated that Local Government Chairmen continue to meet with the State Government under the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to discuss and disburse resources intended for the third tier of government.

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Ubandoma revealed this during a press conference with journalists in Jos on Friday, saying that Governor Lalong has denied him access to the Local Government Secretariat as a result of his open confrontation over issues that have hampered the local government’s progress.

He said the Governor prefer to work with an imposter in Langtang North despite the court judgement that restored him to office.

The Embattled chairman who was sword-in one year after the 2018 local government elections due to court litigations, yet his office was advertised by Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) in 2021 at the three years expiration of the tenure of Council Chairmen while he still had one year to complete his tenure.

Ubandoma went to court to challenged PLASIEC and the State Government on why election was conducted in Langtang North in 2021 but obtained court judgement in his favoure while government has refused him access to the secretariat.

He said, “They said there is autonomy of local government and I said there is no autonomy, that is why they will not allow me to go back to office.

“Our local government areas are not viable and things are not moving the way it is supposed to be. Why will you say there is autonomy while we still go for normal Joint account meetings that is control by Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, where is the autonomy? He asked.

Ubandoma explained that each time he raised these issues with evidence, government is always very unsettled.

He appreciated the role of the media throughout his trial since 2018 and said the media has played critical role in deepening democracy in Nigeria.

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Ubandoma urged the media to be firm, objective and fair in their reportage particularly now that the country is at the point of transition.