…says not all Governors are democratic like Ekiti State Governor
A former governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Ifedayo Iyaniwura has demanded a total local government autonomy.
He stated this while featuring on Nigeria Info 99.3FM on the implementation of financial autonomy granted to the local government councils following the Supreme Court judgement.
He warned the public not to be deceived, noting that the financial autonomy will not stop state governments from exercising its oversight functions.
His words: “Local Government Autonomy is a Constitutional issue, and if we are to talk about Local Government Autonomy, we should be talking of Total Autonomy, and not just Financial autonomy.
“Also, the ruling of the Supreme Court was also in conformity with the position of the constitution. The implication of the Supreme Court Judgement on the Financial autonomy is that, it is now a Law in Nigeria to release Local Government funds directly from the Federation Account to Local Government Account. This Law remains valid, because it is a Supreme Court pronouncement, and one of the major sources of Law in Nigeria is Judicial precedent/case Law.
“However, public should not be deceived, Financial Autonomy for local government councils in Nigeria can’t stop the Government of the States from its power to oversight the Local Government Councils in Nigeria, especially the States House of Assembly. The Nigeria 1999 Constitution (as mended) encourages it.
“Despite all these constitutional provisions that make Local Government Councils dependent to Government of the States in Nigeria, I can say that, we can convincingly see some Governors that still encourage smooth functional democratically elected Local Government Councils in their respective States.
“At least, I can vouch for that of Ekiti State Governor that he doesn’t touch Local Government funds, an assertion that was affirmed by the Ekiti State ALGON, which is the body of Local In Nigeria.
“If there should be a need for a total emancipation of Local Government system in Nigeria, then we should be talking of a Total Autonomy, which will provide local public administration authorities sufficient freedom of action in managing local council affairs, at the same time relieving the central authorities of the problems closely related to local communities, leaving the task of solving them to the local council authorities.
“And to achieve that, the National Assembly must work with the Federal Ministry of Justice to either make a constitutional provision that shall nullify the Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution, or make an outright amendment of the Nigeria Constitution that will redefine the position of the constitutional law in respect of the Establishment, Structure, Composition, Finance and Functions of a democratically elected Local Government Councils in Nigeria.
“The 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) never desired an independent Local Government System but a dependent. Sections 2(1-2), 7(1), 8,124, 162(5-8) and 4thschedule of the CFRN 1999(as amended), must be addressed to achieve a total Autonomy for Local Government Councils.
“Until this is done, the Supreme Court on Financial autonomy judgement remains a mere divertissement, and tantamount to when one has a personal money, but lacks the total authority on how the money could be spent.”