By Aniefiok Christopher
Participants at the 2025 Annual Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Conference held in Uyo on Monday accused governors of undermining local government autonomy nationwide.
Specifically, the 36 State Governors are blamed for lacking political will in implementing local government autonomy in the country.
Speaking at the conference organised by the Center For Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), the participants including serving and former political office holders in Akwa Ibom State maintained that the recent Supreme Court Judgment on Local Government Autonomy has done little or nothing in solving the fundamental problems associated with the administration of local government system in Nigeria.
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A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Akwa Ibom State, Barr Victor Iyanam, who spoke at the occasion, explained that the Supreme Court judgment in July 2024 was merely making a declaration on the letters of the 1999 Constitution rightly identifying the three tiers of government.
He hinted further that Governors of the respective states of the Federation are the ones hampering the implementation of the Local Government Autonomy, because they are happier with the current situation where funds for the respective Councils from the Federation Account Allocation Committee are rooted through the State Joint Account Committees, before the funds are shared to the respective LGAs.
“As long as the State Independent Electoral Commissions continue to act as the electoral umpires, allowing governors the power to appoint council chairmen, and in most cases, from the same party, it is impossible for the local government chairmen to challenge Governors in their States,” he stated.
Speaking earlier, the member representing Ibiono Ibom people in the State House of Assembly, Hon Moses Essien, had said “As a Lawmaker, I am convinced that there is no Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria, because the creation of Local Government Areas are products of the State Houses of Assembly, and of course, the National Assembly.”.
According to him, Sections 128 and 129 of the Nigerian Constitution give the State House of Assembly the powers to oversight the local government. “If they are autonomous, why are we oversighting them,” he queried.
The Lawmaker further cited the reliance of the 774 LGAs on the Federal Government for their fundings and continuous operation of the joint account as clear evidence that the local government councils in Nigeria are yet to be autonomous.
Dr Usoro Akpanusoh, a former Lawmaker in the State House of Assembly, however, is positive that Local Government Autonomy can work in Nigeria if the gray areas in the Nigerian Constitution are amended and the Governors exercise the political will to implement same.
“My greatest worry is that the supposed beneficiaries of this autonomy- the council chairmen- have over the years been sitting on the fence, while Nigerians struggle for local government autonomy,” he stated.
Akpanusoh, who represented Ikot Abasi State Constituency for two consecutive terms, recalled sadly that over 70 per cent of serving council chairmen in the State had, during a public hearing on the subject, rejected Local Government Autonomy in 2015.
The Chairman of the occasion, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem, said Nigeria, if it aims to achieve true development and participatory democracy, the local government must be revived, restructured and fully empowered by clear and unambiguous provisions in the Constitution.
While commending CHRAN for the conference, Enoidem maintained that the civil society has critical role in pushing for reforms, demanding transparency, monitoring implementation and providing policy alternatives, adding “This conference shouldn’t end with talks, it should spark action from the Federal Government in responding to the calls made at this event.”
Setting the tone for the event, the Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong said the Conference on the theme “The State of Local Government Administration in Nigeria, Using Akwa Ibom State as a Case Study” was an annual event organized by the Center for CSOs, NGOs and others to brainstorm on issues with the aim to assess government and governmental policies across Nigeria.
According to him, CHRAN events like the conference have ensured adequate capacity building, by training citizens, communities’ leaders and groups to participate in governance, adding that their research work has provided evidence-based recommendations for better laws and policies across board.
Dwelling on the theme of the conference, Isong said Akwa Ibom appears to be unlucky when it comes to local government administration, as majority of the 31 Local Government Areas are becoming poverty centers, in spite of the huge monthly allocations to the respective councils.
He said the Council Chairmen have failed to provide the needed grassroots governance to the people, a problem, he said, is traceable to the recruitment process into these council areas.
Isong equally expressed concern that the 1999 constitution lacks the solution to the problem of local government administration in Nigeria, hence the need for a review, if not overhaul. He listed several flaws in sections of the constitution, hence the choice of the theme for this year’s conference.
Commending Pastor Umo Eno for his transparent leadership style, he urged him to carry out a tour of the 31 local government areas to ascertain their level of performances among other issues.
Other speakers at the event included Dr Udeme Nana, the keynote Speaker, Prof Desmond Wilson and Mr Ukpong Okon, the Vice Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area.
The high point of the event was the presentation of communications/awards to Hon Moses Essien, member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency; the Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area, the Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State and Apostle Nsikanabasi Esse, a former Councillor from Esit Eket Local Government Area, among others.
