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The ex-president on Tuesday, June 21 rued that the 774 Local Government Areas(LGAs) across the country have been rendered “impotent”and almost “bastardized,” following the massive encroachment into their affairs by the state governors.
chief olusegun obasanjo says Nigerian governors are crippling the Local Governments by interfering.
Obasanjo said the glaring injustices and overbearing influence of the governors which they hand down routinely to the LGAs are such that they cannot tolerate it should the Federal Government elect to treat them the same way.
The ex – President made this known when a 60 – member delegation of the National Union of Local Government Employees(NULGE) visited him at his residence on Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
The delegation led by the NULGE National President, Ibraheem Khaleel, were in Obasanjo’s home on Wednesday to solicit support towards freeing the LGAs from the alleged asphyxiating grip of the nation’s 36 state governors.
The NULGE had through Khaleel, complained to the ex-president that the governors without exception, “have completely rendered the Local Governments impotent and battered it through massive encroachment, diversion of funds and non implementation of rules establishing them(LGAs).”
But Obasanjo who listened to them, said he is helpless about their plights, noting that when the LGA was reformed in 1976, by the then military government which he was a part, it gave LGAs “functions, responsibilities and duties” to perform.
He said it is saddening now to observe that state governors’ interference has completely eroded the “sanctity and constitutionality” of the establishing LGAs.
Obasanjo, however, said Nigerians should keep talking to the members of the National and states Assemblies as well as other stakeholders towards finding a way to make the LGAs truly functional and democratic as envisioned by founding fathers.
He said: “coming to me or me saying something is not the answer. I’m like a cripple. I have no executive power. I have no legislative power, but you are not crippled and you can show them that you are on ground. Local Government should be allowed to carry out its function.
“But I wonder, if the states can allow what they are doing to the Local Governments to be done to them by the Federal Government.
“Sadly, very very sadly, the autonomy of the Local Governments almost without any exception, have been bastardized and encroached by the states.
“Both are suppose to be tiers of government with each having its roles and functions. But, that is not the case.
We shall continue to talk until those who reasonable among change this attitude.”
Earlier, the NULGE President said the union had come to Obasanjo join in the rescue mission of the LGA system, noting that, as founding member of the administration in 1976, they had autonomy of the Local Governments in mind.
“We are aware that the mission was to make the council independent in running the affairs, but, the situation has changed and the states have rendered the local governments impotent.
“As it is now, the governors cannot not do anything. Only yesterday, Abia state governor said he can not afford to raise N800m to conduct council election. That is why we decided to come to you to use your experience and not to allow local government system go into extinction.”
“Also, we want to crave your indulgence to as the father of local government administration in Nigeria, we want to have a special role to play when you mark you 80th birthday next year, March, 2017.
“We want to have a lecture programme, which you will be present to talk on local government administration in order to remember our people what the local government stands for. We pray for God’ s protection over you and your f
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