LG autonomy: No state has been brazenly pilfered with impunity like AbdulRazaq-led Kwara – Ex-speaker Ali Ahmad

…hails S’court judgment

Prof. Ali Ahmad, the Speaker of the 8th Kwara State House of Assembly while praising the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government autonomy, has stated that no state, across the country, has been so brazenly pilfered with impunity as Kwara.

Ahmad, in a statement issued on Friday, said the historical judicial intervention is of inestimable value, comparing it to the legislative adoption of the principle of “necessity” in saving the soul of the country.

He said, “The landmark judgment by the Supreme Court has special significance for Kwara, not because the AGF is from the state but because more than any other state in the country, Kwara state will produce elected LG officials for the first time in five sordid years. No state has been so brazenly pilfered with impunity.

The professor of law encourages senior citizens to actively participate in politics and run for local government positions in their communities to bring much-needed governance closer to the people.

The statement added, “By this action, the AGF and Mr. President have rekindled the hope of Nigerians that Nigeria can still work. Personally, it gives me hope that more quality people take an interest in active politics. I dream that in the lifetime of this administration, former federal lawmakers, professors, and engineers will aspire to become LG chairmen to bring badly-needed governance closer to the grassroots.”

Meanwhile, the former federal lawmaker has urged the President to initiate “a one-item, emergency executive bill and send it to the National Assembly to enable the national electoral body, INEC, to conduct local government elections in the country.”

Professor Ali, however, advised the president to be cautious of potential retaliation lawsuits and other hostile actions from state governors. He added that history will remember President Tinubu kindly for his efforts in reforming the local government system.

“However, I caution President Tinubu to expect retaliation lawsuits and other hostile steps from the Governors. A reformer must expect that change is never easy, and it often creates discord. But posterity will be kind to the LG reformer that Tinubu is.

“Indeed, the President must complement this effort by sending a one-item, emergency Executive Bill to the National Assembly for the amendment of the Third Schedule to the Constitution to enable INEC to conduct LG elections. This bill must be treated in isolation, and legislative works must be concluded within a few weeks. With Nigeria’s support for granting full financial autonomy to local governments across the nation, the people say “God save the President.”