Tribune Online, Author at Tribune Online

The Lagos Society for Good Governance, a non-partisan civic organisation, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and halt what it described as unconstitutional tenure elongation schemes in several Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State. The group also urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to issue clear guidance on constitutional term limits for local government administrations. In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the group’s coordinator, Ademola Gafar, appealed to President Tinubu to demonstrate moral leadership by rejecting attempts to extend tenures beyond constitutional limits. “As a leader of our democracy and a true son of Lagos, we urge the President to engage with the leadership of Lagos State to ensure that forthcoming local government elections adhere strictly to constitutional norms and best democratic practices,” Gafar said. The group highlighted specific cases in three LCDAs where chairpersons are allegedly seeking unconstitutional third terms. In Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, Vice Chairman Famuyiwa assumed the chairmanship in 2019 following the death of Chairman Arologun. He won re-election in 2021, and his current bid for another term is deemed a violation of term limits. Similarly, in Onigbongbo LCDA, Vice Chairman Dotun Adekanye became chairman in 2020 after Chairman Dayo Oke’s death, won re-election in 2021, and died in November 2024. His successor, the current vice chairman, remains eligible for the 2025 elections but cannot seek further terms. In Ikosi Isheri LCDA, Vice Chairman Abolanle Bada took over in 2020 after Chairman Abdulfatai Oyesanya’s death, won re-election in 2021, and is now pursuing an unconstitutional third term. ALSO READ: Ibadan-Ilesa express road mishap: Owa Obokun promises repair before coronation The group argued that these actions contravene the Fourth Alteration Bill No. 16 of the 1999 Constitution, signed into law in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. According to the group, the amendment limits individuals who succeed to an office following an incumbent’s death to one additional term. This principle, the group noted, extends to local governments under Section 7 of the Constitution, which mandates democratically elected councils. “Lagos State, as Nigeria’s centre of excellence, must not set dangerous precedents that undermine constitutional governance,” Gafar stated, calling on the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission to implement reforms that strengthen local government autonomy and disqualify candidates seeking unconstitutional terms. The group praised recent council elections in Ondo, Akwa-Ibom, and northwest states for adhering to electoral laws, resulting in free, fair, and credible outcomes. The organisation also recalled President Tinubu’s opposition to tenure elongation during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, expressing confidence that he would not support undemocratic practices. It urged the implicated LCDA chairpersons to withdraw from the electoral contest in recognition of constitutional limits, warning that normalising such violations threatens Nigeria’s democracy. It vowed to pursue all legal and peaceful means to resist attempts to subvert the constitutional order, reaffirming its commitment to democratic principles and good governance. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE