President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration will support a
constitutional amendment to free local governments from the stranglehold
of states and better the lot of Nigerians at the community level.
Receiving the leadership of the Association of Local Governments in
Nigeria (ALGON) on Thursday in Abuja, President Buhari said a
constitutional amendment was urgently required to clearly define the
relationship among the three tiers of government.
He described the frosty relationship between states and local government
as “a very serious constitutional problem”.
“The relationship between the three tiers of government is not a very nice
one, especially that between the local governments and the states.
“The states feel like they own the local government, if they are of the
same party. It is worse if they are not.
“This is a very serious constitutional problem and unless there is
absolute clarity and transparency, the relationship will continue to be
exploited against the interest of the ordinary people of the country,” the
President said.
President Buhari advised the ALGON executives to hold consultations with
their people and lawyers with a view to presenting a bill that will seek a
constitutional amendment to free the councils from the stranglehold of the
states.
“This will limit the damage they can do to you. The quicker you do this
the better, so that you can help your people much more,” the President
said.
The President acknowledged the request by ALGON for the release of 3.2
billion dollars wrongfully deducted by the Federal government for the
final settlement of foreign debts in 2005.
Supported by Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Finance, President Buhari
said the government recognized the judgment debt but the timing of the
request for its repayment was wrong given the current economic situation
in the country.
In his remarks, Acting ALGON National President Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed
Karaye presented a six-point demand to the President which included the
repayment of the 3.2 billion debt and the need to ensure the sovereignty
of local government administration in the country.
The ALGON leaders expressed their full support to the President’s
programmes on improving security, anti-corruption campaign and economic
revival.