The forum of former Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Chairmen have hailed the Supreme Court judgment that granted full autonomy,, especially on states’ joint accounts with local governments.
Hon. Ibe Michael Nwoke, a former Abia State ALGON Chairman who spoke on behalf of the chairmen shortly after the ruling by the Supreme Court, described the ruling as a vindication for most of them who fought for the independence of the local government administration in Nigeria.
He said the judgment is not just the best judgment by the judiciary that has offered a ray of hope for the masses who yearn for even development across their local governments, but a wake-up call for those aspiring to be elected into that position as excuses would no longer be tolerated for lack of performance.
He maintained that with power now returning to the people, anyone who could not perform for the number of years elected would also be voted out by those who elected them in the first place.
He said ” This ruling now opens up the space for even development of our local communities. I am most excited that the judiciary looked at the issues raised critically and saw the need to grant full autonomy to local governments. What this means is that excuses for nonperformance owing to undue interference by state governors would no longer be tolerated as the chairmen are now accountable to their people and not governors.”
“It also returns power to the people to decide who would pilot their affairs over some time”, he added.
Hon. Nwoke who highlighted his ordeal as an ALGON Chairman in Abia State and how his advocacy for local government funds to be remitted directly to their accounts and managed accordingly cost him his job expressed appreciation to God that at long last he has been vindicated by the judgemejudgmentforum also commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for supporting the call for local government autonomy in Nigeria and prayed to God to grant him more wisdom in the coming years.
They also used the forum to urge the National Assembly to expedite actions on the amendment of the constitution to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct local government elections while abolishing the powers of the state government Electoral Commissions.
According to him ” recall when I was the ALGON Chairman in Abia State, one of the reasons I was removed was because I personally fought for the autonomy of local government administration as an elected chairman. I queried why an elected chairman would answer to a stooge of the governor and some of my entitlements were withheld till date but am happy that today’s history has vindicated me and full autonomy granted to local governments in Nigeria.”
“We must appreciate President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for this great feat. Indeed posterity would be kind to him for this singular act”.
The forum of the former Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON also called for speedy implementation of the judgment as well as the conduct of local government elections across the 774 local government areas of the federation.
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