2023 elections: Local Government autonomy, fundamental to national development  — Oyo NULGE president

Today, it has become a national debate in different political fora across the country that local government autonomy is fundamental to the sustainable democratic system of government in terms of development and easy access to the dividends of democracy at the local government level in the country.

Recently, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Oyo State Chapter, Adeogun Olusegun, at a forum, enjoined Nigerians to vote for a party that is clamouring for local government autonomy in Nigeria come the 2023 General Elections. 

 He also urged those that are yet to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards to do so in preparation for the 2023 General Elections. 

According to him, local government autonomy is the only way for local councils to be resuscitated for optimal performance as the third tier of government in Nigeria. 

He lamented that most governors in the country stood against the local government autonomous status. 

He said: “Once local government autonomy is achieved, all the local governments in the country will be adequately funded and well equipped to give good governance to the people at the grassroots, in terms of provision of basic amenities and economic development in the areas.”  

Speaking in the same vein in another forum some time ago,  former President Olusegun Obasanjo, (GCFR) also emphasized the need for local government to have its autonomous status in Nigeria adopted political-administrative system. 

He noted that until local government system is democratized, making it more responsive to the development needs as a  separate arm without the influence of the state government control, the expected growth and development in the local government areas in the country would remain elusive. Expressed dissatisfaction over the negligence of local government system in Nigeria over the years.