The local government areas have continued to be referred to as the third tier government, as it is nearer to the people at the grassroots than the other tiers. Barnabas Olabisi writes.
Why LG council
Government simply refers to the power or authority invested in a group of people to govern or administer a country, state, local, ministry or agency (ies), moreso with the control of economy, security and making statutory laws for good governance.
Therefore, the importance of local government system/administration, especially in Nigeria, cannot be over-emphasised as it is the type of government that the people at the grassroots can easily access and run to in time of need for assistance.
However, in the recent times the politics and the intricacies surrounding and affecting the constitution of authorities that direct or governs the affairs of the local government areas have been of serious concern. The action or inaction with regard to constituting a local government council administration as it affects the growth and development of the area closest to the majority of the people domiciled in the seven hundred seventy-four (774) local government areas across the nation is greatly worrisome to all, especially as it concerns the issue called as local government autonomy.
Ondo as ugly example
The unpleasant situation in Ondo state is not much different from what obtains in other local government authorities. What ought to have been the basis for grassroots development and thus affects the real fabric of growth and development in these councils are in tatters. What is commonly visible are shameful traces of decay, bitter neglect and unpleasant politics of dominance in the hands of politicians, all in name of financial control of the councils.
Since Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu assumed office as the number one citizen in the state on 24th April,2016 amidst pump and pageantries with promises that governance at the grassroots be given priority, the situation has not in actuality changed.
His immediate predecessor Dr Olusegun Mimiko sometimes in April 2016 held a local government election that produced some elected local government officials across the whole eighteen (18) local government areas in the state. Although this election could not be totally absolved for its shortcomings, yet it was conducted to certify the conscience.
On assumption of office of Akeredolu with his avowed commitment to develop the grassroots, he dissolved the elected council, thus sending the officials packing. The governor had hinged his action on the argument that the election that produced the officials was faulty, noting that their election could not in all honesty stand integrity test. Following the dissolution of the councils’ executives, the governor immediately put in place a caretaker committee in all the local government areas of the state, which since have been reconstituted.
New ODIEC
Thereafter, the Akeredolu administration put in place the state election body known as Ondo state Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) to carry out necessary processes for the conduct of the local government election across the eighteen local government areas in the state.
The electoral body headed by Prof Yomi Dinakin promised on August 15, 2018 that by 1st of December, 2018 the local government election across the state will be duly conducted.
However, the promise just looks like that of a mother finding ways of persuading the baby from the crying so she can leave home peaceful to her destiny by promising to buy for the weeping child biscuit, knowing that she would actually not fulfil the promise. And so it has been. Uptil now, no local government election has been conducted in the state.
In fact, there is no specific reason other than alleged so-called political-strategy by the increasing unpopular administration of Akeredolu. It seems as campaign heats up for his second term bid, all the governor’s campaign team is focusing on his another round of promise bordering on conduct of LG election.
Creation of development council a ploy?
Although with the governor on March 21st, 2019 set up a committee headed by Prince Lanke Odogiyan to look into matters relating to creation of new Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) in the whole eighteen local councils, opinions were divided that it is just another attempt to cast dust on the people or to foot-drag on the local government election. Some out rightly see it as a strategy at preparing grounds for Akeredolu’s second term bid ambition.
The report submitted by the committee to the governor promised that new LCDAs will be created in due course without a specific time frame, and going by politicians’ words, there may not be any local government election in the life of Akeredolu’s tenure as posited Mrs Eunice Olonisakin, a woman leader in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
When contacted on why the delay at conducting local government election in the state, Commissioner for Information, Hon Donald Ojogo in his words
said, “this is for the party to react, aside that, government had set up ODIEC long ago, it cannot speak on its election plans,”
Speaking on this development, Zadock Akintoye, spokesperson for the Ondo state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said: “I believe the delay may be due to the fact that there is a present legal tussle between our duly elected local government chairmen and the APC-led ODSG.
“As a party, we believe it’s an over stretch of the constitutional rights of a governor for the APC to sack duly elected local government chairmen and replace them with caretakers.
“While we acknowledge that we have a case in court at the moment, let us say clearly that our party believes that local governments must be allowed to choose their leaders and representatives without pressure from the incumbent governor and his party.
“We also do note that the APC led government refuses to allow duly elected local government chairmen to take charge of their councils simply for the opportunity to subvert the law and take undue custody of the resources accruable to the local government areas.”
But Alex Kalejaye the spokesperson for the Ondo All Progressives Congress (APC) noted that “Our duty as a party is to field candidates, and support them for elections. It is the duty of state electoral body to, among others, organise elections at the local government level. We will be ready whenever the electoral body announces readiness for the election.
“As for state’s readiness, I think the state government wanted to ensure the completion of the local government creation processes before getting fully set for any election”, he posited.
