•National Assembly Complex, Abuja
Senators and House of Representatives members returning from a six-week recess tomorrow will take immediate steps to give effect to the Supreme Court judgment on autonomy for local government; it was learnt at the weekend.
Although some governors are fuming over the Supreme Court verdict, the lawmakers are determined to make the autonomy work, reports The Nation.
Apart from tinkering with the aspect of the constitution on the state/local government account, efforts are in top gear to pass the bill creating an independent electoral body to organise elections at the grassroots level.
Other issues on the lawmakers’ agenda before the December break are: implementation of the N70,000 Minimum Wage and and accelerated passage of the 2025 Appropriation Bill likely to be transmitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu next month.
Legislative time will also be devoted to the flooding and its devastation in many parts of the country, especially in Maiduguri and some Northeast states.
An oversight on states where the weather agencies have predicted would witness flooding is also expected so as to monitor preparation by affected states.
The Senate last week donated N54million to assist victims of flooding in Borno State. Individual senators also donated various sums running into millions to the Borno State Government.
According to Senate spokesman Adeyemi Adaramodu: “The Senate would on resumption, through legislation and oversight processes, see to the welfare of Nigerians.
“The Senate would hold the bull by the horns to engender a revived economy and work on electoral reforms.
“The Senate would ensure that the workers’ national minimum wage is realistically implemented.
“The Senate shall equally deal robustly with the 2025 Appropriations Bill, to ensure that Nigerians get the best for an assured life more abundant.”
The Senate Adhoc Committee on the Review of the Constitution would hold a two-day retreat in one of the northern states this weekend in furtherance of its assignment.
Besides, the Chairman of the National Assembly and President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, hinted last week that the Senate would “tinker with the constitution” to give further legal verve to the autonomy granted local councils in the country by the Supreme Court.
Akpabio gave this hint on Thursday when he received members of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, said to be loyal to the erstwhile Interim National Secretary of the party, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, in Uyo.
Already, a Bill seeking the establishment of a federal agency for the conduct of local government elections in Nigeria was passed for first reading in late July 2024, shortly before the red chamber commenced its annual vacation.
The Bill titled: “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 531)” was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (APC – Niger East).
The body will be saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections into the chairmanship and councilorship positions in the 774 local governments in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the proposed Bill, the NILGEC, when established, shall consist of a chairperson and six commissioners, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
The chairperson and commissioners shall serve for a term of five years, renewable once.
According to the bill, the NILGEC shall operate independently, free from external influence and interference, and the Commission shall have its budget, approved by the National Assembly, to ensure financial independence.
Part of the Bill states that: “NILGEC shall operate independently, free from external influence and interference. The Commission shall have its budget, approved by the National Assembly, to ensure financial independence.”
A source close to the leadership of the Senate said the Bill would be given accelerated consideration by both chambers just like it did on the New National Anthem Act and the Minimum Wage Act in line with President Tinubu’s desire to ensure a completely autonomous, stable and functional local government administration, and in line with his restructuring agenda for the country.
The source explained further: “I think the game plan is if the National Assembly does not do anything the Supreme Court judgment on local government’s’ autonomy is like rubbish.
“So there must be legislative backing and they want to do it like they did the National Anthem.
“They want to create a national local government election body which will be separate from the Independent National Electoral Commission, which is believed to be overburdened with the task of conducting federal elections already.
“So, they want to create a parallel electoral body for local governments as contained in a Bill before the Senate and later reflect the relevant provisions in the constitution which is presently being reviewed by both chambers and with that, they will completely take away the local government administration from the governors.
“Because if the governor still controls the electoral process at the level, there will be no true autonomy as they will still be in charge of managing their funds.
“So, that’s one of the angles they want to pursue the autonomy, which is based on a Supreme Court judgment.”
He further stated that if the local governments can get their allocations directly instead of the states getting and spending for them, “sincerely, all this poverty we are talking about will be reduced.”
