Social Liberation Vanguard (SOLV) has criticised Anambra State House of Assembly for passing a law that amends the Statutory Provisions of Traditional ruler’s law, 2007.
The new amended law according to SOLV outrightly removed every input of the people in the legislative functions that checkmates any executive excesses.
SOLV in a statement obtained by Newsliks described the actions of the State House of Assembly as a slap on the public and people of the state.
SOLV said, “The recent biased revocation of recognition of office of the 3 – Traditional rulers amongst the 12 – Traditional rulers whom are bent on the implementation of the 5% remuneration principle from the joint State/local Govt. allocation from the federation by the State executive is a slap on the public, ndi Anambra and the Igbo traditional institution in Anambra State.
“On the 5th of Nov. 2020, the State House of Assembly acting in accordance to the Executive bid passed a law that amends the Statutory Provisions of Traditional ruler’s law, 2007 which removed every input of the people in the legislative functions that checkmates any executive excesses.
“It is apt that we bring to your notice that as it stands now with the amendment of this law, the Executive now confers the traditional ruler’s title in all the autonomous community in the State since the executive now grants and revokes recognition against the customary provisions of every community.
“It is in our deepest concern of the imminent perils these action may result in various communities in the State in days to come. We also fear the subsequent despotic tendencies this amendment may cause the State overtime as well as the consequences of this inclination by successive GOVERNORS of the State if the people reacts.
“We demand this law be jettisoned as it legalizes the illegality in the executive action to hire and fire any traditional ruler that resist Political dominance, it also grants the executive the power to solely decide on the 5% dominant issue between the executive and the Traditional rulers in the State.
“No wonder, this anomic phenomenon in the polity reflects the dictum by the then apartheid prime minister – Willem Pieter Botha in 1988 that “Black people cannot rule themselves because they don’t have the brain and the mental capacity to govern a society, give them guns, they would kill themselves, give them power, they will steal all the government Money, give them independent and democracy they will use it to promote tribalism, ethnicity, bigotry, hatred, killings and wars.
“Finally, the traditional rulers must acknowledge they have failed in their duties to uphold virtue resulting from extreme partisan inclinations and meddling with the executive to the detriment of their statutory roles.
“Social Liberation Vanguard (SOLV) demands from the house of Assembly to prove their worth as people of good conscience towards their duty of representation and jettison this new law for the extant Traditional ruler’s Law, 2007 because is a slap on the public and Ndi Anambra, we also demand that the executive must show maturity by negotiating on the path of Peace with the Traditional rulers which we believe will relax their position owing to the exigencies of now as well as revert to the status quo regarding the State executive position on the Matter or face our intended action.”
