LG LAW: What Obasa-led Lagos Assembly should note before passage – De Renaissance Patriots

By KEMI KASUMU

De Renaissance Patriots Foundation has once again revisited its letter of October 22, 2024 addressed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajaiyi Obasa, pushing forward its 22 observations regarding the Lagos State Law on Local Governments Administration with questions yet unanswered.

This was contained in a Friday night statement from the group’s Media Office, dated November 22, 2024, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER.

According to the statement, “The group of eminent Lagos indigenes in its letter expressed the belief that since the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is supreme and that the Supreme Court’s ruling on any issue of law especially with regard to the roles of local governments is sacrosanct, there can be no way for Local governments to function properly, operate successfully and be fully AUTONOMOUS without their constitutionally specified roles and sources of revenues taken from time to time through legislative acts by Lagos State House of Assembly and assigned to the Legos State government since 1999 being fully returned to the Local Governments.”

The Foundation, which noted that it raised the point of order during an emergency meeting of its steering committee in Lagos on Friday October 18, 2024, wanted the state government and the House of Assembly to go back to what the Constitution says with respect to the responsibilities and sources of Internally Generated Revenues by the Local governments.”

It was the expectation of De Renaissance Patriots, as stated in their Friday’s statement, that the Assembly would “holistically address all the infractions perpetrated and how those constitutional roles and rights of Local Governments have been infringed upon by the state government, since 1999.”

At the meeting well attended by leaders of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, and with members amongst whom were eminent Nigerians who retired from public and state services, and other top professionals and bankers, noted some key points from the Amendment of the Lagos State Law on Local Government Administration Bill.

“The Bill includes the aspect that reverses the state’s 57 LGAs/ LCDAs to 20- Local Government Structure but still seeks new 37 Area Administrative Councils to replace the currently operated Local Council Development Areas(LCDA).

“However, De Renaissance Patriots could not come to term with the aspect of the amendment that, though gives impression of reversing to 20-Local Government Structure, replaces the 37 unconstitutional LCDAs creation it seeks to repeal with yet another 37 unconstitutional Area Administrative Councils, each of which will be headed by an Administrative Secretary who will be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“In the letter to the Assembly Speaker titled, “De Renaissance Patriots Establishing Rebuttable Presumptions in the Local Government Autonomy In Lagos State”, the Group noted that it reviewed the “Bill for a Law to provide for local governments’ system, establishment and administration and to consolidate all laws on local government administration and for connected purposes” in compliance with the requisite Constitutional provisions and the recent Supreme Court judgement in AG FEDERATION VS AG ABIA STATE AND OTHERS (2024)LPELR-62576 (SC) on local government autonomy and related issues. It then gave what it described as its brief analysis of the Bill.

“This Friday November 22 is exactly one month the letter had been sent out to the Speaker.

“The Foundation leaders are requesting to know what is amiss, that as critical stakeholders having raised observations with regard to the Bill have their stated observations ignored officially by the leadership and representatives of the people in the Lagos State Assembly. The contents of our letter conveying our 22-line observations are still valid, realistic, and relevant to truly make the 20 LGA Structure independent and efficient in service delivery at the grassroots. The sun in the sky at this time is still enough to dry a wet clothe. It is time for the state to hands off from the resources and financial obligations of the local government authorities administration directly.

“The dominant hold by the states’ governors on the LGAs throughout the federation must shift to truly independent status nationwide,” the statement said.