The Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD) has expressed profound concern over the recent disclosure by the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, regarding the tenure of local government mayors and councilors.
During the monthly media chat, the Governor revealed that the tenure of these local government officials will end in November 2028, contrary to the widely held belief of November 2026, citing an amendment to the law by the State House of Assembly.
According to YSAD, it views this revelation as a critical failure of inclusive governance, adding that the fact that a law of such magnitude, one that directly affects the democratic rights and political expectations of the people at the grassroots, was amended by the State House of Assembly without any public knowledge, media coverage, or civic engagement for over two years is deeply troubling.
YSAD said that it is unfortunate and disturbing that it was only through the Governor’s passing mention during a media chat that citizens, including journalists and civil society organizations, became aware of this legal change.
Obinna Nwagbara, Executive Director of YSAD said that this incident is a stark illustration of a systemic disconnect between the government and the governed, especially grassroots people, in Abia State.
“When laws that shape the political destiny of the people are passed in secrecy, it is a clear indication that the citizens are not part of the governance process.
“We must move beyond mere rhetoric and ensure that legislative processes are transparent, participatory, and accountable to the people they serve and are made for.”
YSAD said that this development underscores an urgent need for a paradigm shift in how legislation is conceived and enacted in Abia State and Nigeria at large.
According YSAD, we should ask, ‘was it an executive bill or private member’s bill that birthed this piece of legislation? How come a law like this passed through legislative processes like readings and reporting stage without public knowledge’?
YSAD said it is no longer sufficient for laws to be technically sound or politically expedient; they must be subjected to rigorous scrutiny to guarantee they uphold the fundamental rights and dignity of all citizens.
“Therefore, YSAD is advocating for the institutionalization of Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIA) as a mandatory prerequisite for all legislation and policy decisions in the state.
“A Human Rights Impact Assessment is not a bureaucratic hurdle; it is a safeguard for democracy. YSAD calls on the Abia State House of Assembly and the Executive to adopt a framework where every new bill or amendment is evaluated for its potential impact on the rights of citizens, including the right to participate in public debate or affairs.
“Had such an assessment been conducted, the State House of Assembly would have been compelled to engage with the public and justify the extension of the local government tenure in a transparent manner.”
YSAD said it envisions a society where governance is built on the principles of transparency, accountability, and the active participation of its youth and citizens.
“The adoption of HRIA in the legislative process would not only prevent future occurrences of such secrecy in legislation but would also foster public trust, ensure that policies are people-centered, and align the state with constitutional and international human rights standards.”
YSAD urged the state government to prioritize this critical framework to ensure that no citizen is ever left in the dark about the laws that govern their lives.
He group said that while ignorance of the law is not an excuse, inadequacy in publicity for new laws remains a legislative gap.
