Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State Monday swore into office the newly elected 21 local government chairmen in Adamawa with a charge on them to focus on good governance and discharge their duties responsibily.
This followed the election that was conducted on Saturday July 13, where the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, won all the 21 chairmanship seats and 225 councilorship seats while New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, got one councilorship seat.
At the Mahmud Ribadu Square, Yola, venue for the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Fintiri challenged the chairmen to eschew corruption and embrace everyone along in their administration.
He urged the new council chairmen to avoid absentism in office as the present administration will not condone such habit whereby a chairman will abandon his official duties with no reason.
Governor Umaru Fintiri saluted Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission, ADSIEC, for conducting the election that was widely acknowledged as one of the best and credible in the history of Adamawa.
He thanked the people of Adamawa who overwhelmingly voted People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidates as according to him this has shown that people still have confidence in the present administration.
While welcoming the supreme court judgment on the local government autonomy, Governor Fintiri said even before the verdict, his administration has granted financial autonomy to the councils five years ago.
He congratulated the chairmen and PDP for the victory at the polls and urged people to continue to be loyal and supportive to his administration for the betterment of citizens of the state
The Senator representing Northern senatorial zone, Amos Yohanna, congratulated the chairmen and saluted Adamawa citizens for entrenching democracy by exercising their franchise during the election.
On his part, the Speaker Adamawa State House of the Assembly, Right Honorable Bathiya Wesley commended the Governor for ensuring successful conduct of local government election in Adamawa.
In his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Barrister Awwal Tukur noted that the local government election is important owing to the closest of the councils to the masses at the grassroots.
Barrister Tukur thanked Governor Umaru Fintiri for creating enabling environment for people in the state to elect leaders of their choice at the local government level in a free rancour manner.
The State Chairman of PDP, Barrister Tahir Shehu reminded the sworn in chairmen that they were elected based on the integrity of Governor Umaru Fintiri, urging them to emulate him and deliver good governance.
Suleiman Ahmed, Executive Chairman Toungo local government area council said the mandate given to them could not have been possible without the good leadership put in place by Governor Fintiri.
He reaffirmed their commitment to discharge their duties diligently and work in line with the development agenda of the present administration for the best interest of Adamawa people.
The Chairman assured that they will demonstrate visible dividends of democracy in their respective local governments and pledged that they will not disappoint the people who elected them into office.
The oath of office and allegiance were administered on the chairmen by the State Chief Judge, Justice Hapsat Abdurrahman.
