Lalong seeks constitutional roles for monarchs, says its panacea for insecurity
BY PATRICK WEMAMBU
Senator Simon Bako Lalong representing Plateau South Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly has maintained that creating constitutional roles for traditional rulers would go a long way in arresting insecurity in the country. He made the remarks while fielding questions from journalists at the Senate Press Corps Centre at the National Assembly Complex, Thursday.
He buttressed his claim; “As chairman of the Tinubu/Shettima APC Campaign Council, when we went around, we met traditional rulers who requested for solid roles in the Constitution…These are people who are ready to work to ensure the issue of insecurity (is curtailed) especially using non-kinetic approach…No constitutional roles for them but when there are killings, crisis, they say let’s hold our traditional rulers responsible.”
Regretting that the allocation of the 5% funds to the traditional rulers is hardly enough for them to fuel their vehicles, Lalong tasked the National Assembly to charge the monarchs with assigned extant responsibilities to enable them to contribute towards arresting the monster of insecurity in Nigeria.
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Asked to comment on the relevance of the monarchs in the prevailing civil rule dispensation vis-a-viz what transpired during the first republic parliamentary system of government, the former minister of labour replied;
“We have a fusion (of political dispensations). I was part of the struggle for the approval of the autonomy of the legislature. With a democrat like Tinubu, we’ve had the autonomy of local governments passed by the Supreme Court…
“We continue to struggle… The issue has been trending since 2014 (National Confab) does not mean we lose steam…I hope that with you and me, it will all be over (approval for constitutional roles for traditional rulers) (some day) if it’s for the good of Nigeria… It does not mean we should lose steam.”
Earlier at plenary, Senator Simon Lalong had moved a Bill for an Act to establish the National Council of Traditional Rulers in order to accord them formal recognition.
The Nigerian Senate has passed it for Second Reading.
Lalong, who is the former governor of Plateau State, (2015 – 2023) expressed that traditional rulers are now well-educated, and their advice and opinions on insecurity and other national issues could help the government in meeting the yearnings of citizens.
Said he; “Their formal recognition would as well facilitate their roles and functions,” urging senators to support the bill to be passed into law.
Some senators who expressed reservations about potential conflicts of responsibility cautioned that the bill should clearly distinguish the role of traditional rulers from that of the government to avoid confusion.
Making remarks, Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio highlighted that the bill should clearly spell out the functions of traditional rulers, adding that a public hearing should be conducted to elicit opinions and perspectives before it is brought for a third reading.
Akpabio stated that traditional rulers have what it takes to offer counsel on a diversity of issues that would help the government before passing the bill for the second reading.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment to report back in four weeks.
