Governors Dictate Who Goes to Senate, Reps, and Assemblies – Athan Achonu

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, has accused state governors of hijacking Nigeria’s democratic process by controlling who emerges in the National and State Assemblies.

Achonu, who featured on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Tuesday, said governors wield such influence because they control the local governments, which serve as the foundation of political structures.

He argued that until governors relinquish their grip on local councils, Nigerians will not experience genuine democracy.

“Governors decide who goes to the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly because they control the LGs. Once they cease to control that, you will see true democracy,” he stated.

The former lawmaker also lamented the collapse of institutional checks in governance. He pointed at the judiciary, legislature and public service, insisting they had failed in holding leaders accountable.

“Everybody is focusing on the President or the governors, but the structures are already there. Ministries, the BPP, civil servants – they all have responsibilities to ensure accountability. Yet no one holds them to account,” Achonu said.

Comparing past and present political culture, he recalled that during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s era, governors had to campaign vigorously to win elections. “This time, nobody campaigns,” he added.