LGs in Nigeria might never be truly independent, says ex-Oyo AG 

Oluseun Abimbola (SAN), the former Oyo state attorney-general, says local governments may never be truly independent in Nigeria.

The former attorney general and commissioner for justice in Oyo state made this comment when he featured as a  guest on Splash 105.5FM.

Citing cases in houses of assembly across the country, he said local governments may never be truly independent if other issues in the constitution are not addressed. 

“It is desirable to have that constitutional amendment but it should be known that it is not the only proposed amendment before the states’ houses of assembly- there are about 23 or more amendments that will follow the same process,” he said.

“If some states are having issues with few of the proposed amendments of the constitution but they have no problem with supporting local government autonomy, automatically local government autonomy law will suffer for it.

“It is just that some states’ houses of assembly are not focusing on doing the needful, which they are aware is right. 

“Some laws included in the constitutional amendment do not sit well with some states that are in support of local government autonomy and this is the reason they are against pushing the bill. This means that our local governments may not become independent soon.

“Furthermore, the local government amendment autonomy is one of the issues pushed forward among others while the case of the Value Added Tax (VAT) did not sail through although the supreme court is yet to give its judgment. 

“Others include the issue of redefining indigene-ship to allow residents who have lived in a place for a period to become an automatic indigene of that place. However, in the context of Nigeria’s cultural situation, it is almost impracticable because it might not be fully implemented.   

“There should be a reworking of the structures on ground before such a proposal is made to reduce the problem of preferential treatment some regions of the country are enjoying. Some states’ assembly will not pass the bill of local government autonomy until many issues are addressed.   

Abimbola said the constitution is one of the problems facing Nigeria, adding that there are “obnoxious sections” in it.

The senior advocate of Nigeria admitted that though the constitution has its own shortcomings, the bigger problem in the country is the citizens.

He said that aside from correcting the obnoxious sections of the constitution, the people should desist from evils and acts capable of dividing the country.

According to Abimbola, to make the country work, leaders must be committed to excellent leadership and shun lawlessness. 

“Undoubtedly, the constitution is a problem but the people are the bigger problem,” he said.

“Even if the law is weak and faulty, what we need are elected representatives with good intentions to change such obnoxious laws; however, failure to do it will make the constitution look incapable.

“If we can find lasting solutions to the present challenges facing the constitution, it will settle many issues affecting the progress of the country. 

“In addition, if our people do not desist from doing evil, changing the constitution will be fruitless. Many of our elected representatives need to be humane and committed to governance.  

“Usually, the process of constitutional amendment will come with constitutional amendment acts. That act will contain all the clauses to be amended concerning different material issues.”