Why states must organise LG elections
Recently, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Gombe State decried the refusal of Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo to conduct local government election in the state, even as it accuses his administration of diverting funds meant for the running of local governments. Harping on the anomaly, the party said that constituting a caretaker committee management for the local governments’ rails against the country’s constitution. We are totally in support of the party’s observation, especially given the unwillingness of the governors to conduct local government elections in their respective states.
Incidentally, Gombe is not the only state in the federation that has refused to conduct local government elections. Survey shows that others are equally guilty, and this is irrespective of the political party in power. It is an indisputable fact that as the third tier of government, the local government is the most important in all the democracies of the world because of its nearness to the grassroots. Its importance is also reinforced by Section 7(1), of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which states that “it is incumbent on the government of every state of the Federation to ensure the system of local government by democratically elected local councils”. Unfortunately, that section of the constitution has for long been observed in the breach.
The fundamental effect of this constitutional breach is that it encourages massive corruption at the local government councils by these caretaker committees, as there is no transparency and accountability by those at the helm of affairs. There is no denying that local governments in Nigeria are the main source of corruption without any check. Today, the local governments through the State-Local Governments Joint Account (SLGJA) have become a haven for rent seeking by the different state chief executives. It is not unusual for state governors to embezzle funds meant for local government administration while diverting them for personal use.
The effect is that the local governments are always starved of fund for developmental projects, thereby exacerbating the poverty and deprivations in rural areas. Matters are made worse by the indifference of the citizens to demand good governance. Such lack of enthusiasm makes them unaware of their right to hold the state governors’ accountable for the poor performance from this tier of government.
Surprising is that, the average Nigeria believes that the only duties of local governments are to collect taxes and rates from citizens, which is why the massive corruption in the local governments have continue unabated.
Local governments are supposed to operate at the grassroots and thereby impact on the masses, more than any other tier of government. The Guideline for Local Government Reform of 1976 outlined detailed parameters for their autonomy. The document states that such freedom would enable them to have substantial control over local affairs and their staff; vest in them institutional and financial powers to initiate and direct the provision of services; determine and implement projects to complement those of state and federal governments in their areas.
Today, it is a huge shame that genuine initiatives to bring government closer to the people and improve governance are being scuttled by governors and state lawmakers, even as those that voted them into offices and chambers and their communities, are wallowing in neglect, rejection and underdevelopment
