Kwara Assembly passes bill restricting governor from sacking elected LG chairmen

A bill for a law to amend the Kwara State Local Government (Amendment) Law No. 3 of 2006 has been passed by the State House of Assembly.

In the amended law, initiated by member representing Oke-Ogun Constituency, Barrister Kamal Fagbemi, it is now unconstitutional for the state governor to unilaterally dissolve democratically elected local government councils in the state.

Speaking after the passage of the amendment bill into law, the deputy speaker, Chief Mathew Okedare, who presided over the Tuesday’s sitting, directed the Clerk of the House, Hajia Halimat Jummai Kperogi, to prepare a clean copy for the governor’s assent, pointing out that the third tier of government was strategic to accelerated socio-economic transformation of the state.

Speaking during the consideration of the general principles of the amendment bill, Barrister Fagbemi had while urging his colleagues to ensure the passage of the bill, said the amendment became imperative in view of the fact that the principal law was inconsistent with the provision of the 1999 constitution.

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The lawmaker, also averred that Section 7 of the 1999 constitution guarantees that Local Government shall be governed democratically, stressing that provision of section 18 of the State Local Government law No. 3 of 2006 was not in tandem with the provision of the nation’s constitution.

The legislator equally disclosed that the Supreme Court judgement in respect of dissolution of Local Government Councils by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, was illegal and unconstitutional, pointing out that the decision of the Supreme Court according to 1999 constitution, shall be enforced in any part of the federation by all authorities, persons and by Court of subordinate jurisdiction.

Members representing Essa/Shawo/Igboidun, Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe, Oloru Malete/Ipaiye, Edu, Ekiti, Share/Oke-Ode, Irepodun and Patigi Constituencies, Hons Hassan Oyeleke, Ahmed Ibn Mohammed, Adebayo Mohammed, Aliyu Ishiaku Adams,Felicia Ebun Owolabi, Jimoh Akanni Abdul Rahman, Mathew Babaoye and Shuaib Abdul Kadir had in their contributions, said that the current arrangement making Local Government Councils appendage of the state governments was against the wish of the founding fathers, aiming to make Local Government administration, a third tier of government to fast track grassroots development in the country.