Gbajabiamila seeks constitutional amendment – TheNigerialawyer

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has
called for the amendment of the constitution to ensure full
autonomy for local governments in the country. Speaking during 12th
Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Local Government
and Public Administration of Nigeria in Abuja, he said autonomy for
local governments was the only way people at the grassroots level
could enjoy the benefits of government. The conference had as its
theme, “Local government autonomy as the bedrock of rural
development.’

The Speaker, who was represented by the member representing
Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency Lagos State, Jide Jimoh, said,
“I know for sure the issue of autonomy has to be taken from the
constitution itself. There is nowhere in the whole world where you
have the listed number of local governments in their constitution
except in this country. Ab initio that is a failure on our part as
a result because of the military decree that established that
constitution and it is subject to be amended.

“By the time we want to amend it, we should take it off
completely from local government and make sure we have
democratically elected local government in place without putting
the list of the number of local governments in the constitution.
Therefore there would be freedom, there would be independence,
people would vote for people of their choices and the result would
be made available.

“In order for us to do that, there is need for us to amend the
constitution of this country, take away the issue of putting local
government names in our constitution. Take it off completely. Allow
the local government to be embedded in the constitution as an
establishment on its own without numbering of 774 local government
areas. If you do that, you have restricted the number of local
governments to be created. You have restricted the power of people.
You have restricted the power of people, you have restricted the
control of people, therefore the independence cannot be absolute,”
he said.

Council President of the Institute, Prof. Kunle Awotokun, urged
that if autonomy is granted local governments must brace up to
accountability and answerability. Registrar of the Institute, Dr.
Uche Okereke, said they were about creating value to local
government and public administration in Nigeria.