LG autonomy: It’s not yet uhuru, says lawyer

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Ige Asemudara, says Thursday’s Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy should compel amendment of some provisions of Nigeria’s Constitution.

Asemudara, founder of Mission Against Injustice in Nigeria, spoke in an interview with the newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.

“With the judgement, the issue of local government autonomy vis-à-vis direct payment of accrued funds to their accounts without recourse to the state is now settled.

“However, it is not yet uhuru. There are still other issues clogging full autonomy.

“Besides, the judgement has passed a half-baked pie to us. There is a need to amend a number of our constitutional provisions,” he said.

Asemudara said that theprovisions requiring amendment included Section 3(6) and the First Schedule listing local governments.

“It is an aberration that Section 3(6) and the First Schedule take away what Section 8(3) has been given.

“It will be a further abberation to invite INEC to conduct local government elections.

“We still have a long walk to freedom, and we must not faint,” he said.

Mr. Kabir Akingbolu, also a lawyer, said that the judgement was a landmark achievement and a victory for democracy.

Mr. Akingbolu praised theapex court for the judgement, ssaying that it saved democracy at the local government level.

“By this judgement, it is now impossible for governors to take money belonging tolocal governments anyhow,’’ he said.

He expressed optimismthat local government autonomy would accelerate development at the grassroots.

“Now, as a local government chairman, you can employ and sack your own worker, unlike in the past, when you could even be issued a query for suspending staff.

“The effects of the judgement are farreaching, though some people might not be seeing them. It is indeed a good one for democracy,” he said.

Akingbolu alsosaid that, with the judgement, local governments being governed by caretaker committees would not be able to receive federal allocations directly.

“As of today, 21 of the 36 states in the country are being operated by caretaker committees.

“It means the 21 states’ local governments will not collect allocations because it is very clear from the judgement that it is a new dawn for democracy in Nigeria.

“Also, allocations can only be for local governments mentioned in the First Schedule of the Constitution.

“It also means that local council development areas may not function again,and if they want to function, the state governments concerned may be funding them,” he said.

Akingbolu commendedstate governors who were satisfied with the judgement.