The Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, was yesterday criticised by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the manner he is handling allocations accruing to the local governments in the state.

The party, therefore, demanded immediate release of the statement of account showing income and expenditure of the 21 local government areas of the state since the inception of the administration.

In an open letter to the governor, made available to reporters after the party’s state executive council meeting in Awka, the state Chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi called the governor to direct the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC to commence the process for the conduct of the next local government election in order to ensure a smooth hand over since the tenure of the incumbent council officials would expire in January, 2016.

The letter reads: “We have noted with dismay that the local government system in Anambra State has become non –functional and redundant under your watch, with no new projects, while the projects hitherto initiated by the Chief Peter Obi administration have all been abandoned.

“We also have it on good authority that Your Excellency is planning to appoint caretaker/transition committees to manage the affairs of local government councils in Anambra State at the expiration of the two –year tenure of the present elected chairmen and councilors in January, 2016 contrary to the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Anambra State Local Government law respectively.”

The party further observed that the state government has continued to run two local governments which include Ihiala and Nnewi local government areas with Sole Administrators instead of legitimate elected council executive members, contrary to court decisions on the matter.

They also called on Governor Obiano to direct ANSIEC to conduct without delay, bye election to the office of chairman for Ihiala local government in line with court decisions and the outstanding election of councilors and chairman of Nnewi North local government which had remained inconclusive since 2014.

According to the party, they have information that the governor has been funding the new secretariat of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, under construction in Awka with state resources, just as the APGA national and state chairmen have allegedly been drawing millions of naira from the account of the Anambra State Government as allowances on monthly basis and urged the governor to declare to the public the source of funding of the project located on a vast strategic state government land.

“We want the governor to make public the contract sum of the ongoing flyover projects being executed in Awka by the state government so as to clear the doubts in people’s minds concerning the cost of the three overhead bridges.

“It is our sincere hope and belief that Your Excellency will find time to address the issues so as to reassure the people of Anambra State that they have a government, which ought to be accountable to the people,” the party said.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano

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