LOKOJA- Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC-Kogi) says President Bola Tinubu has made history with the recent financial autonomy granted to the 774 Local Government Areas by the Supreme Court.
Karimi, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District, made this known in a statement, on Saturday in Lokoja.
The senator said that the President deserved commendation on the landmark judgment on financial autonomy for Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“No President has been able to change that. But, within one year, President Tinubu has returned the local government to the owners who are the masses.
“Tinubu deserves to be honoured in the nation’s “Hall of Fame” for enabling the judiciary free hand to function, which culminated in such historic adjudication.
“With this landmark achievement, the National Assembly will ensure compliance by various state governments, while also taking up the responsibility of amending the constitution to address inherent contentious issues.
“These include grey areas like transfer of responsibility of the conduct of elections to local councils from the various state electoral bodies to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I thank the President for mustering the courage to do the right thing. Since 1999, the third tier of government literally speaking has been nonexistent,” he said.
He expressed regret that the state governments were treating the LGAs as their appendages, thereby, denying them their rights.
The senator added: “Local governments, if well operated, will ensure better existence for our people. President Tinubu took due cognisance of this and courageously took the bull by the horn.
“But I equally know that the battle is not yet over because some state governors will fight back.
“President Tinubu allowed the judiciary a free hand to operate in this particular instance, irrespective of the fact that he is but a first term President who may desire a comeback in 2027.”
According to him, Tinubu did this primarily because of his single-minded concern for Nigeria masses.
“I align myself with the President on this, as it takes a man of the people, it takes a man of courage, it takes a man that knows and feels the pulse of the masses to make this to happen.
“Tinubu has seen it all, as a former Senator and a former governor.”
According to him, the national assembly through its oversight responsibility will ensure that revenue from the Federal purse goes to where it is supposed to go.
“We will ensure that the Supreme Court judgment is obeyed to the letter, that allocation is shared between the three tiers of government in accordance with the law.”
Karimi said the next step the legislators would take was to ensure that the local government elections were conducted by INEC.
The national assembly, he noted, has a duty to amend the electoral Act and the 1999 constitution to ensure that credible people were elected to the helms of the local government administration.
“We will ensure that capable individuals can step forward to contest local government elections.
“Experienced people will be needed to manage the funds effectively, and prioritise development of the grassroots for the masses to become actively involved in shaping the future of their local governments,” he said. (NAN)
