Politics
LG autonomy: S’court verdict creates a constitutional gap, says Makinde
*Set up committee to review ruling
By Francesca Hangeior.
The governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has said that his administration will ensure that residents do not suffer from the supreme court verdict on financial autonomy for LGAs.
Makinde who was speaking during a meeting with LG stakeholders in Ibadan, the state capital said, the apex court’s judgment has created a lacuna.
Section 162(6) of the 1999 Constitution states that “each state shall maintain a specific account to be called State-Joint Local Government Account into which shall be paid all allocations to the local government councils of the state from the Federation Account and from the government of the state”.
On Thursday, the supreme court ruled that the federal government should henceforth pay allocations directly to LG councils.
The seven-member panel of justices held that state governments have continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.
The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGAs governed by unelected officials.
In a statement, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, special adviser on media to Makinde, said the governor convened the meeting to discuss the challenges facing the LGAs, develop solutions, and ensure a seamless implementation of the judgment.
“I called this meeting because I felt that even though we have not seen the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the supreme court, we have to be proactive and discuss the decision of the supreme court as it concerns the financial autonomy of the local government councils because I believe a lacuna has been created between the decision and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that we all swore to uphold,” Makinde said.
“The law is the law and when there is a conflict, yes, we should go to the court.
“But it behoves us to look for our own homegrown solutions that can ensure that we have transparency and that our people do not suffer. This is because when two elephants are fighting, it is the grass that will suffer.
“I am saying this because Oyo state will get out of this even stronger. We are people that know what is good for our people.
“Before we came in, leave bonuses were last paid in 2017 and we have paid for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The primary healthcare facilities and inner roads were all in bad shape.
“But we have been working collaboratively with the LGs to deliver dividends of democracy to our people.
“We were able to clear those salary arrears. We paid N18bn in pension and gratuities over this period. We upgraded about 209 PHCs, equipped about 264, and completed 60 model schools.
“We constructed and renovated hundreds of primary school classrooms and fixed some of our roads.
“But there are still challenges that we have to address. We still have a backlog of gratuities and pensions.
“The local governments owe about N55bn in pension and gratuities. We are developing infrastructure that would push the economy and raise the living standard of our people and push their economy towards sustainable goals.”
Representatives of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), attended the meeting.
At the meeting, the governor set up two committees to review the supreme court judgment and suggest recommendations for implementation.
Politics
Obi Urges Nigerian Graduates to Seek Opportunities Overseas if Needed, Vows to Fix Nigeria for Their Return
Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, has encouraged Nigerian students to seek better opportunities abroad if local conditions don’t meet their needs.
Obi shared this advice during his visit to Anambra State, where he made donations to Peter University in Achina/Onneh and the College of Nursing Sciences in Adazi-Nnukwu. Addressing nursing students, he reaffirmed his commitment to supporting institutions that nurture skills, professionalism, and character.
Obi advised students that, if career opportunities are limited locally, they should feel free to explore options abroad.
“If things aren’t working here, go where they will work for you,” he said, expressing optimism that, with efforts to improve the country, Nigerians working abroad would eventually return.
Speaking at Peter University, Obi urged students to dedicate themselves to their studies, highlighting education as a transformative force essential for national development.
Emphasizing that investment in education is an investment in the future, he encouraged them to aim for excellence, assuring that a stronger Nigeria would await them.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State at the weekend played host to the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Nvosi country home in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area(LGA).
Speaker of the House of Assembly Emmanuel Emeruwa, some aides of the governor, and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement were present.
Although Kwankwaso said he was in the state to condole with Otti on the passing of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the first governor of old Abia State, rumours of a possible political alliance between him and Otti, the only Labour Party(LP) governor in the country, spread.
Onu was buried in Uburu, his hometown in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State on Friday.
Kwankwaso’s visit coincided with a reception held by the governor for 15 Abia indigenes who recently graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano.
Shortly after he departed the state, political analysts said they were sure that the visit was partly informed by efforts of the Peter Obi-led LP faction to align with other opposition parties ahead of 2027.
‘’Don’t forget that 2027 is near. Do you think the two men would meet like they did now with talking about the next presidential election? That is impossible,’’ one of them told The Nation.
Another said Kwankwaso and Otti were ‘’very much aware that the only way to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progress Congress (APC) from the centre is a formidable alliance.
‘’They know that now is the best time to start talking about how to defeat those in Aso Rock. And that, I believe is the core reason for the visit.”
Last month’s local government poll in the state produced a stunning result with candidates loyal to Otti winning nearly all the chairmanship positions on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP)
The governor backed the winners because of court cases on the authentic leadership of the leadership of the LP.
One faction of the party is led by Julius Abure while the other supported by Obi and Otti is headed by Nenadi Usman, a former Finance minister.
Political analysts argued that if Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Obi, and Kwankwaso fail to put their political differences behind and field an acceptable presidential candidate in 2027, they might end up not making a significant impact.
Otti had while welcoming Kwankwaso recalled how he offered him a ‘’platform in May 2022 to run ’’ as a governorship candidate.
He thanked Kwankwaso for his guidance and patriotism.
His words: “Thank you for your guidance, for your patriotism, for everything that you have done for this country.
“I want to thank you for encouraging me in 2022 not to lose faith, though we were in different parties, and it appeared as if everything was going to be lost.
“That call that you made about the 20th of May 2022, for also making your platform available for me to run if I had wanted to use the platform, the rest is now history.”
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, congratulated Otti on his emergence as governor. He also lauded his achievements in the state
“For the little time I have been here, I have had the opportunity of talking to a few people who confirmed to me that you are doing very well. We have seen your project everywhere” he said.
The governor and his visitor urged the new Police officers to work hard, contribute to the security of the country, and be good ambassadors of the state.
“The challenge is for you to now work very hard, knowing fully well that in this society, the son of a nobody can be the father of somebody,” said Otti.
“If people like us who grew up here without any hope at that time can be here, there is no reason why you can’t get here. But I am challenging you to be the best you can be.
“Always do things right and do the right things. You can always get to where you are headed. Cutting corners does not take you too far, “ the governor added.
Kwankwaso charged the new police officers to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
“Let me take this opportunity, based on my experience, to advise you to first and foremost fear God.
“Two, you need to be professionals. Now you are fresh, just coming out of the prestigious institute.stay there as professionals,” he said.
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