A new dawn with LG autonomy, but…, by Kola Amzat

The recent Supreme Court verdict that granted autonomy to Local Government Council administrations is a watershed in the annals of the country democratic journey.

The landmark judgment remains the best gift in recent times that the Apex court bequeathed on a nation in dire need of developments at the grass root level.  

No wonder, the historic verdict was greeted with eruption of joy and celebration across the country.

As I put on this Piece, the victory songs continues to reverberate in all the nooks and crannies.

But, while Nigerians are overwhelmed and drenched in celebration, it’s important to remind ourselves of the discerning, resourceful, visionary, sharp, industrious and very adventurous mind who was the architect of the Apex Court judgment. 

It’s one thing for a country to pride herself as a democratic nation, it’s another to really embrace all the ethos, principles, ideals and cultures of democratic order.

President Bola Tinubu epitomizes all what is called democratic ethos. He’s totally an embodiment of democratic tenets and he’s living it by the day.

He therefore deserves resounding and thunderous applause and accolades from the country men and women for preoccupying himself 24/7, solely with how to make this territorial integrity a greater nation.

After-all, the former presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo, late Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and even, APC’s Muhammud Buhari had the same ample opportunity to redress the anomaly in LGC administration; it was never their priority, as they were distracted.   

President Tinubu, an accomplished soldier of democracy and vanguard for democratic order is not just starting to practice the democratic principles today; he has very rich antecedents in this respect.

Nigerians vividly recall that the president battled to standstill ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo in the court when the latter chose to seize Lagos state federal allocations, simply because the ex-Lagos state governor created 37 LCDAs from the existing 20 LGCs.

After about four years, the Apex court ruled in favor of Lagos state, and ordered that every penny illegally withheld by the federal authority be paid back to the state coffer.

It would also be of interest to Nigerians that it was the instrumentality of judiciary that Tinubu deployed to restore all the South West states brazenly rigged in favour of PDP through Obasanjo led federal government electoral Tsunami during 2003 general elections, back into the fold of ACN.   

And of course, Nigerians recall that The Code of Conduct Bureau under ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was purposed to halt Tinubu meteoric rise in the political sphere.  But, he also deployed the tool of law to triumph.

Without any iota of doubt, it’s a great feat for this government to have accomplished Local Government Autonomy.

Meanwhile, the same administration have within one year in office brought about the removal of petroleum subsidy, floating of exchange rate, excavating Oronsaye’s report for immediate implementation, transformed NNPC to NNPCL, commenced the construction of 700 Kilometers Lagos-Calabar coastal road valued at $11 billion, restore back the old National Anthem which indeed captured the essence of Nigeria with respect to unity, harmony and need for patriotic zeal of her citizenry.

In the same breath, Nigerians are waiting patiently for the actualization of Regional Government; a governmental system expected to douse ethnic tension and perennial agitation, as well as persistent clamoring for self-determination, as well as put each region in good stead to grow at its pace, with all the states breathing the air of freedom with more resources and greater control at their disposal to attract foreign investors and domestic growth of the economy.   

But, the Centerpiece of this Write-up is the urgent need to make Local Government Administrations, in the light of their new status more responsive, responsible, service-oriented, people-centric, patriotic, fiscally prudent and shrewd, and more importantly, be alive to the main purpose for which the third arm of government in a federal system arrangement is created.  

             In fulfillment of the above submission, this writer implore federal government on the need to revisit the Apex court with a view to ensuring that all the 774 LGCs across the country have constitutionally elected leaders in place to preside over their affairs, and that federal government MUST be compelled by law to withhold federal allocations meant for any LGCs henceforth been administered by the Interim leadership arrangement.

             It’s also instructive to submit that at this point, Tinubu administration should explore the possibility of establishing LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL MONITORING COMMISSION with the seat in the State capitals and with the following terms of reference:

•             Ensuring proper financial and administrative structure at the LGCs with a view to ensuring that leaders at that level render account of fiscal stewardship to the federal government on quarterly basis.  

•             That there is transparency and probity in LGCs.

•             Monitoring the disbursement of funds to projects at the LGCs

•             That citizenry are granted opportunity to inspect the financial records from time to time, and also interrogate the finances.

             More importantly, it’s an auspicious time for the federal government to double their attention on this arm of government, with respect to the character, capacity, capability, educational profile, and leadership profile, as well as emotional and physical intelligence of Nigerians who would henceforth be presiding over the affairs of all this important arm of government.

Its then that the verdict of autonomy granted would have meaning and essence.

It’s then that the developments that LGCs autonomy purposed, in terms of huge infrastructural developments at the grass roots, educational developments in all the nooks and crannies, provision of quality medical facility at the LG level, ensuring agricultural development, socio-political developments as well as enriching the minds and intellectual repertoire of the teeming youths and even, the entire citizenry, would find expression.      

Finally, Nigerians in all walks of life need to celebrate the president for rescuing the local government administrations from decades of fiscal oppression, impunity, slavery and naked cheating by the state governors.

It’s indeed a dawn of new day at the Local Government Councils across the land!

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB, ACS)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.