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LG autonomy: S’court verdict creates a constitutional gap, says Makinde

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*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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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“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.

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Politics

Edo 2024: My unforgivable sin that made Oshiomole my permanent enemy-Obaseki

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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, disclosed the unforgivable sin that made Senator Adams Oshiomole his permanent enemy.

He revealed that his declaration of state burial for the late Chief Tony Anenih, a top chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a highly revered elder statesman, during his first term as an All Progressives Congress (APC) governor, was the unforgivable sin he committed against the Senator and for which he refused to forgive him.

Obaseki made this assertion at the ongoing PDP campaign rally held at Opujie Primary School, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area where Chief Anenih came from.

He said “When Chief Anenih died, I was not in PDP, but I declared a state burial for him because of his contributions to our dear state and Nigeria. This was one of the things that created issues between me and Oshiomhole who never wanted it. He considered it an unforgivable sin which he could not overlook. But I have to do what is good. We are all one. Edo State is one.

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“And that is why I am here today. For Edo to be one and united, I have to support Esan man for governor. And not just Esan man but a capable, competent, intellectually sound with good track record in the person of Asue Ighodalo.

“The candidate the APC brought was a Benin man and that the APC never believed in an Esan governorship agenda or an Esan man becoming governor until it dawned on them so they hurriedly packaged one through the back door.”

He declared that the need to move Edo forward requires a candidate like Asue Ighodalo.

“The PDP candidate is more experienced and competent to take Edo to the next level and so I urge you all to come out en-masse and vote on September 21 and elect him as the next governor by voting for the PDP,” he said.

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In his address, Ighodalo thanked the people, saying “Uromi is a great place with great people. It is the pride of Esanland.”
He promised to complete all ongoing projects in Esanland I will complete all on and create more. “We will complete all ongoing projects in Esan North East and across all Esanland. Be it water, roads, hospitals, schools or anything, we will complete them and create new ones.

“Edo will be self sufficient under my administration and become a state other states will come to. With us Edo will not suffer poverty.

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NNPP dissolves five state excos, sets up caretaker panels

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The National Working Committee of the New Nigeria People’s Party, on Thursday, announced the dissolution of the executive committees of five state chapters of the party.

The affected states are Taraba, Gombe, Benue, Oyo and Bauchi.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ladipo Johnson.

Johnson explained that the move was part of the resolutions reached at the end of an emergency meeting of the NNPP in Abuja on Thursday.

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According to him, the party made the decision with the ultimate aim of repositioning and revitalising its membership strength in the affected states.

The spokesman also noted that the dissolved state executives would be replaced with caretaker committees in line with the party constitution.

He said, “By the virtue of Articles 14.2.1 (iv, v) and 15.2.1 (xvi) of the party’s constitution as amended on the 6th April 2024, the National Working Committee of the party is cloaked with the powers and has on this day, 5th September 2024, dissolved the entire executive structures from the state down toward the level of the party in Taraba, Gombe, Benue, Oyo and Bauchi States.

“The dissolved executive committees shall in accordance with the party’s constitution be replaced by caretaker committees, which will be announced in a few days, for the stipulated period.”

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The NNPP also expressed appreciation to the outgoing state executives for their service to the party and urged them to be ready to serve in other capacities in the future.

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2027: Obi appoints Dr. Tanko as Interim National Coordinator of Obidient Movement

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The Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has appointed Dr. Yunusa Tanko as the Interim National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide.

This move which is part of efforts to consolidate the gains made during the 2023 presidential election, where Obi’s candidacy brought the previously obscure LP to national prominence.

The Obidient Movement played a key role in making the LP a household name, with Obi’s candidacy proving to be a formidable force, winning in key areas like Lagos and Abuja.

With ongoing crises within the LP showing no signs of resolution, Obi might be exploring other options, with the movement serving as a strategic platform for better bargaining power. This development follows a series of engagements and consultations aimed at establishing a more structured organization.

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During an X Space meeting, Obi expressed gratitude to the over 165 individuals who submitted ideas and suggestions for the movement’s structure.

He commended the engagement and consultation team for their swift progress in managing the consultation process.

According to Obi, Dr. Tanko’s appointment is a strategic move designed to drive the movement forward, leveraging his expertise and dedication.

He encouraged supporters to continue engaging with the movement, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in building a stronger organization.

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Since its inception, the Obidient Movement has gained significant momentum, with supporters rallying behind Obi’s vision for a better future both within Nigeria and globally.

This appointment marks a significant milestone in the movement’s evolution, transitioning from a grassroots phenomenon to a more structured organization.

In Obi’s words:

“Last week, I held an X Space to announce the start of a series of engagements that will help establish this structure. To drive this process, I set up a team to manage these conversations. This team was tasked with holding a series of consultations and engagements. I want to sincerely thank everyone who showed up at the engagement meeting they recently held. I also want to thank the team for how fast they moved the conversation and the consultation process.

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“The team has provided me with a preliminary report. Last week, they put out a link for the submission of ideas and documents on how we should structure the movement. I want to extend my gratitude to the over 165 people who submitted their ideas and suggestions through the link provided by the Engagement and Consultation Team and those who attended a recent consultation meeting held on Saturday.

“We received a wide range of insights, including ideas on building an inclusive structure with a strong grassroots presence, leveraging technology to optimize our operations and secure our votes, and innovative suggestions for grassroots mobilization. Indeed, we have brilliant minds in our movement, and this was evident in the quality of the ideas we received.

“This is just the beginning. We are committed to ensuring that every member of this movement is heard and included as we build our structure. There will be more consultations at the regional level, and I encourage everyone to participate when called upon.

“Announcing Interim Leadership: Moving forward, it is crucial to have leadership in place to support this building process. After extensive consultations within the movement and reviewing feedback from Obidients through the ideas submitted, there is a consensus that the position of National Coordinator should go to the North. From the nominations submitted by key stakeholders in the movement and shared with the engagement team, Dr. Yunusa Tanko emerged as the most nominated candidate for this role. Given his track record, leadership qualities, and commitment to the movement, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Tanko Yunusa will serve as the Interim National Coordinator as we continue laying the foundation for our movement. I want to clarify that all positions filled at this stage are on an interim basis until our structure is fully developed.”

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