Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the amendment of sections of the 1999 Constitution relating to local government autonomy.
This was contained in a statement made available to Ikengaonline, in Enugu.
Edeoga, who was a member of the House of Representatives, asked the National Assembly to isolate sections of the Constitution that affect local government autonomy and fast-tract there amendment.
He advised the Presidency to initiate an Executive Bill to the National Assembly “to excise Section 197 1(b) of the Constitution which created the states Independence Electoral Commission.
“Section 153 (1) which created the INEC should also be amended to fully vest the national elections management body with the powers to conduct elections to local government councils,” he stated.
The statement reads: “Riding on the wave of nationwide acceptance of the judgment of the Supreme Court therefore, the National Assembly should be made to initiate and fast-track amendments to the 1999 Constitution to delist all mentions of state electoral commissions and push the responsibility for this to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Thankfully, so many governors have pledged to comply with the Supreme Court judgment, but the National Assembly should note that while Nigerians welcomed the judgment, they have equally pointed out that the judgment would be ineffectual without a corresponding amendment that guarantees relatively fairer and freer council elections.
“Such pessimistic views should not be dismissed with a wave of the hand because, their public show of support for the judgment of the Supreme Court notwithstanding, it would not be out of place to find lots of Governors continuing to pressurise their respective state Houses of Assembly to withhold assent to any Bill for such important constitutional amendment to sustain the stranglehold on local councils and the resources due to them from the federation account.
“This is where the onus lies on the president as a notable deal maker, consensus builder and statesman to convince everyone to work together for the greater good of our country.”
