I find it most disturbing to read a statement credited to the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly against Local Government Autonomy. In his argument, he raised that granting full autonomy to local government will engender massive corruption at the local level. He also expressed a fear that the federal government might start using local government to frustrate state government across board.
Such a reckless statement by an element like Ogundoyin did not in anyway come to me in rude shock, but, I am disturbed that someone who is meant to be seen as a symbol of advocacy for Local government autonomy is also at the forefront of an attempt to weaken the local government. But, what do one expect from an individual who could not even fight for the independence of the legislature? You cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand.
There is truth in the saying that “when the foundation is allowed to be crooked, every superstructure erected on it is bound to be crooked too”. We cannot talk of restructuring when the local government is still being held at the mercy of state governors. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) recognises local government as a tier of government, hence, its independence should not even be a subject of debate for any reason. Unfortunately, element like Ogundoyin is speaking on behalf of Seyi Makinde who has a burning desire to sustain control over local government fund.
It is clear that Ogundoyin is suffering from crass wilful ignorance with that statement of his’. An average Nigerian Governor, with their penchant to continue being in control of local government funds has continually launch assault on local government autonomy. And, I expect that every progress-loving Nigerian is familiar with the danger an average Nigerian Governor constitutes to the sustenance of local administration in Nigeria.
As against Ogundoyin’s reckless statement on local government autonomy, no system has ever been free of corruption. But, the most important thing is to set apparatus and other democratic measures which will help promote transparency and accountability. The call for local government autonomy is a way of deepening participatory democracy and the well-being of people at the grassroots. We must cancel the State Joint Local Government Account and provide for a special account into which all allocations due to local government councils from the federation account shall be paid.
The existence of State Local Government Joint Account System makes local government councils subservient to Governors thereby restricting them from executing social projects which will benefit their communities as we use to witness in the early 2000s.
We have argued that the centre is too powerful in Nigeria which is fuelling the inordinate desire of many a politician to become President. In as much as we want the powers of the centre to be whittled down to the bearest minimum thereby allowing States to become independent economic units, local government must be allowed to thrive too. The local government must not be at the mercy of the State government.
It is not on record that Ogundoyin raised his voice to the arbitrary sack of local government chairmen who were duly elected upon his (Makinde) assumption of office in 2019. Seyi Makinde sacked all the local government chairmen and then appointed caretaker committees to head each local government till the recent conduct of a kangaroo local government election.
As Speaker of a State House of Assembly, one would have expected Ogundoyin to set the pace by enacting law to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level. And, this could be done by stripping off Governor’s power to appoint State Independent Electoral Commission boards. By doing this, he would have been able to substantially reduce the overbearing influence of the Governor on LG election. Unfortunately, Ogundoyin is a slave of his own conscience.
I urge the federal government and all other progress-loving Nigerians not to relent on the call for local government autonomy.
Kazeem Olalekan Israel (GANI) writes from Ibadan, Nigeria.
