Stop revenue allocation to unelected LGs, it’s unconstitutional, Atiku, UK tell FG

Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Monday, called on the Federal Government to stop further allocation to unelected local governments, from the federation accounts.

Besides, Atiku and the representative of Department For International Development (DFID), Mr Chris Okeke, who gave the position of United Kingdom (UK) Government backed the clamour for local government autonomy in Nigeria, saying the freedom of the third tier of government was desirable.

While throwing his weight behind full autonomy for local government, Atiku emphasised that it would bring governance closer to the people and reduce the spate of agitations in the country.

The former vice-president said revenue from the federation account should not be allocated to the unelected local governments in Nigeria so as to serve as deterrent to others.

According to him, it was illegal to continue to give allocation to unelected local governments, adding that this illegality should stop.

Atiku was speaking at a workshop on: “Building Consensus amongst the Conference of Speakers, NULGE, NASS and ALGON on Local Government and State Houses of Assembly autonomy.”

He advocated a fix tenure for local government chairmen, as against the practice where a governor could wake up and dissolve them; saying, “There should be a fix tenure for them.”

The former Vice President, who was represented by a Professor of Constitutional Law, Maxwell Gidado, said the system of Local Government should be constituted in such a way that would reflect a truly tripartite level of government in the constitution.

According to him, Section 162(6) of the constitution should be amended to abolish state joint local government account to attain full financial autonomy.

The representative of Department For International Development (DFID), Mr Chris Okeke, said the UK Government was also supporting reforms and service delivery at the local government level through the Mobilisation for Development (M4F) programme.

He said the UK Government was also engaging National Assembly through the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC).

He applauded the organisers of the programme and the Nigerian government for taking the initiative of bringing different interest groups and stakeholders together to build consensus around the issue of local government autonomy and the independence of the state legislature.

In his address, chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, Honourable Abdulmumin Ismaila Kamba, said the state lawmakers had resolved not to repeat mistakes of the past in the ongoing process.

“By our gathering at this event, we have resolved not to make repeat mistakes of the past in the ongoing process. All the actors must ensure we give Nigerians a constitution that would stand the test of time and meet the yearnings and aspirations of our people,” he said.