Reps seek elected officials in local govts

House of Representatives

The House of Representatives has decried the administration of local governments by caretaker committees.

The lawmakers urged governors to ensure that local government councils are administered by democratically elected officials.

 But the lawmakers rejected a proposal to suspend the monthly allocation to such local governments.

The decision of the lawmakers, following a motion by Friday Itulah (PDP, Edo) on ‘illegal constitution of local government caretaker councils’ was not without some drama as the constitutionality of the decisions of the lawmakers was hotly contested by those who felt that the National Assembly was not backed to make decisions for the third tier of government.

Itulah listed states which  run local governments with caretaker committees.

They include: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Nasarawa.

Others are: Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Yobe and Zamfara. 

“This system of government is alien and unknown to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and one is aware that this act by state governments is a breach of Section 7 (1) of the 1999 constitution as amended,” he noted.

Samson Osagie (ACN, Edo), Emmanuel Orker-Jev (ACN, Benue), Abiodun Balogun (ACN, Lagos), John Enoh (PDP, Cross Rivers), Simon Arabo (PDP, Kaduna) and others agreed on the illegality of the caretaker committees in the administration of local councils but objected to the suspension of the monthly allocations to such local governments.

Arabo said Nigerians are only interested in duly elected persons running their affairs. But he noted that the Constitution was responsible for the confusion generated by the motion as Section 7 and Section 162 were at variance on the administration and funding of LGs.

Kamil Akinlabi (ACN, Oyo) led others to oppose the motion, saying  caretaker committees were constitutionally backed.

He said the affected governors have not acted contrary to the provisions of the constitution, adding, “The caretaker committees were duly constituted by the governors in accordance with the constitution and on the ratification of the  Houses of Assembly.“ 

Emmanuel Ukoete (PDP, Akwa Ibom) said circumstances vary from state to state for the introduction of caretaker committees and that since the House must protect the Constitution, states should rather be encouraged to conduct local government elections in earnest.

However, drama set in when some members struggled to remove their states from the list of affcted states. 

The lawmakers however voted massively for the motion urging the governors to immediately ensure that all local government councils in the federation are administered by democratically elected officials.

Mohammed Monguno (ANPP, Borno) among others wanted his states to be delisted, saying, it was the spate of violence in the state that led to it in the state. However drama set in when some speakers struggled to remove their States from the list given the Sponsor of the motion.