(NAN) Abdulrahman Maina-Yaji, Former National Publicity Secretary, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), says the Supreme Court judgment that granted autonomy to local governments will address poverty and insecurity in Nigeria.
He made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, while reacting to the landmark judgment.
He said all those who worked toward it deserved commendation in promoting good governance and enhancing democracy.
Maina-Yaji, who is now the Mutawalli of Michika and Kakaki of Mubi Emirate of Adamawa, said “the judgement is a big relief to majority of Nigerians.
“President Bola Tinubu as an experienced administrator who understands the vital position of local governments as third tier of government closer to the people, deserves commendation for actualising this dream.
“In fact, to us as stakeholders in the local government, it is the judgment of the millennium, it signifies the return of life to the third tier of government.”
He recalled that NULGE had been pointing out that the growing poverty and insecurity at the grassroots was aggravated by lack of autonomy to local governments, as chairmen remained helpless due to poor funding.
He urged stakeholders to “sit up and ensure that the judgement was enforced to the latter, by thwarting any move by any governor to compel his cronies who emerge as council chairmen to continue to open council purses for such governors to exploit.
“I want to draw the attention of elected chairmen not to be tempted by any governor to use another means to siphon money.
“As veterans of local governments, we will mobilise council workers and other stakeholders to ensure that apart from statutory deductions, any chairman that gives out money to the state will be petitioned to EFCC.
“We will not just allow this judgment to be frustrated by anyone by putting all necessary mechanisms to ensure its implementation to the fullest for maximum results.”
Many council workers also lauded the judgment and called for urgent amendment of the constitution to scrape the State Independent Electoral Commissions.
They noted that the way the commissions reduced elections to one party affair with the party in power winning all positions shows they are not committed to free and fair elections that will entrench democracy.
Buba Yero, a local government staff, said “let the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) handle all elections as it is more credible.
“We saw how President Tinubu lost Lagos and how former President Buhari lost Katsina in the last election as proof of INEC’s credibility, such never happened under state independent election commissions, as seen in many elections they handled.”