The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Autonomy

  • Union seeks local government autonomy

    The leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Ondo State has urged traditional rulers and other stakeholders to ensure the quick passage of bill on local government autonomy by the Ondo State House of Assembly.

    The union noted that sections 3(2) and (6) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, gives recognition to local government administration which should be a legal entity distinct from the state and the Federal Government.

    Besides, NULGE said the third tier administration should be administered by democratically elected officials and have specific powers to perform a range of functions assigned to it by law.

    At a news conference in Akure, the Ondo State capital, President of state NULGE, Dr Bunmi Eniayewu praised President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly for the passage of the bill on local government autonomy.

    At the briefing were the Deputy National President (Southwest) of the Union, Oludare Famofo and other top officials in the state.

    Eniayewu noted that if local government is adequately funded, the poverty level in the country, especially at the grassroots, would be reduced.

    He thanked Nigerians for making their views on the need for local government autonomy known, stressing that Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Ondo State House of Assembly are “workers-friendly.”

    The NULGE chief said Mimiko’s administration has not been using funds meant for the local government as erroneously believed, stressing that the state government is workers-friendly.

    He, however, decried the failure of most states in the country for not conducting elections in the local government and install democratically elected officials since 1999.

    The NULGE President noted that if the council officials are elected, such people would have been held responsible for any lapses in the third tier government. He said it is wrong to appoint sole administrators or chairmen of caretaker committees.

    He emphasised that people should be committed to the enthronement of democracy at the grassroots because of its closeness to the masses.

    Eniayewu further said the era of frauds in the local government administrations is gone; assuring that a well-focused local government system would soon emerge for the benefit of all.

  • State legislators to seek financial autonomy

    State legislators to seek financial autonomy

    State assembly legislators are regrouping to assert their independence, it was learnt at the weekend.

    This may not be unconnected with the alleged sweeping influence of state governments over  assemblies.

    The legislators unfolded a body, the National Association of State Assembly Legislators (NASAL), in Abuja at the weekend to articulate and enforce the views of the lawmakers.

    The Interim National President of the body,  Mr. Valentine Ayika, said NASAL became necessary to liberate the state assemblies from strong personality leadership to build strong institutions.

    He said state assembly legislators were making a strong statement with the inauguration of NASAL that democratic governance based on the rule of law had come to stay.

    Ayika noted that the body would pursue financial autonomy to state assemblies, especially with the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

    He said: “Individually, a state assembly can be dealt with, but with an association like this, we can surmount any recklessness of the executive.”

    Ayika said financial autonomy was what the state assemblies needed to be independent.

    He said: “Our salaries are paid by the state governments. It is a fact that he who pays the piper dictates the tune.”

    Asked why the state assemblies rejected the autonomy granted them by the National Assembly during the last amendment of the constitution, Ayika said there was no organisation to articulate the feelings of the assemblies then.

    He added: “If the opportunity comes our way again, I am sure we will grab it.”

    Ayika regretted that only about two state assemblies of the 36 voted to deny state assemblies the opportunity to be financially-independent.

    On the gale of impeachment by state assemblies, he noted that “whatever any state assembly construes as gross misconduct remains gross misconduct until the constitution is amended.”

    Ayika listed the vision of NASAL to include “to unify and build an organisation that can forge a strong bond of collaborative engagement in driving state development in the country and contribute in nation building with enhanced grassroots participation.”

  • Grant autonomy to traffic police

    SIR: I wish to express my views on the abnormalities going on, the descrimination and injustices being meted to officers of the Motor Traffic Department of the Nigeria Police.

    Much as we salute the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan as visibly seen in his efforts of at alleviating poverty, the Motor Traffic Department has been left behind;  indeed, the organisation is in bondage.

    Officers of the organisation are denied due allowances, motivation and promotion. This continues to dampen their morale. This writer enlisted into the section seven years ago, preciesly in August 2007. Despite serving the organisation dilligently and with humility, I have not enjoyed any promotion. This is in spite of winning laurels for my command as a member of police football machine during the period.

    Besides, I have served as a station writer for a year and a traffic control officer for two years. These two are just a few of the duties performed by many a traffic warden without being given the necessary allowances and promotion by the police authorities. It is like the section does not exist.

    Police authorities continue to discriminate against traffic wardens, seeing them as lesser police officers or attachees with no legal authority or autonomy to carry out their duties. The result is that they are neither respected by the police nor appreciated by the public.

    As if the situation was not bad enough,the police stopped the recruitment of traffic warden officers since 2008 hence reducing the manpower of the section making the workload more tedious.

    Presently, the traffic warden uniforms can no longer be provided neither can it be found in the market to buy.

    Recently,  the promotion list of men and officers of the force on general duties enlisted between 2007 to 2010 was released, but alas, those of the traffic warden fro the same period were not  released without any justifiable reason.

    It is imperative that the police authorities explain to Nigerians why the traffic wardens are denied their rights like hazard  and welfare allowances. The traffic wardens are neglected, deprived and marginalised despite the hazards we encounter in the course of performing our duties.

    A quick way to address these injstices and bring the abnormalities to an end is to grant the organisation total autonomy from the Nigerian police force.This will not only help to boost the

    morale of the officers and men of the section, it will bring in efficiency, smooth running of the organisation and enhance the nation’s growth.

    It is to be noted that the men and officers enlisted into the department are talented, able-bodied and educated as well as civilised enough to contribute their quota to the growth of Nigeria and the

    world at large.

    Autonomy will also go a long way to create more jobs for the army of unemployed graduates.  Above all, autonomy to this organisation is the right thing to do; it will help to write the name of this administration in gold.

    • Agboola Alabi,

    Ilorin, Kwara State

  • ‘Executive must accord fiscal autonomy to Judiciary’

    ‘Executive must accord fiscal autonomy to Judiciary’

    The courts were shut for about three weeks – July 11-31 – because of what workers under the aegis of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) called the persistent refusal of the Executive, particularly in the states, to accord financial autonomy to the Judiciary. JUSUN President Comrade Marwan Adamu speaks with Eric Ikhilae on the strike and other issues.

    What is your take on the situation in Rivers State judiciary?

    We have been pushed to the wall. That was why we took the decision to go on strike in Rivers. We had embarked on strike in Rivers even before the nationwide strike.  And even with the suspension of the nationwide strike, we are not going to suspend the strike in Rivers until the problems created by the two elephants are resolved. The two elephants are the state (JSC) Judiciary Service Commission and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    We at JUSUN, have no power over the appointment of Chief Judges and whoever is appointed as the Chief Judge, we will accept him,  we will work with him, we have no problem with that.

    So, why are your members on strike in the state?

    In Rivers, NJC appointed an administrative judge, they said we must work with him. We have no problem with that, we can work with him. But after the NJC’s appointment, another circular came from the state’s JSC and we, from the Chief Registrar down to the least person in the Judiciary are employed by the JSC of the state. So, if the JSC issued another circular, saying if anybody worked with this administrative judge, the person was on his or her own, and that such person would face disciplinary actions, there is a problem. Are we going to work with two masters at the same time?

    That was why we withdrew our services, coupled with the problems of security. You are a living witness to this. A particular court was bombed three times. On an occasion, the police confirmed a parcel found in the premises of the court as explosives. They did not remove it until it exploded and our members who reported it were arrested and detained for 21 days.  When NBA and JUSUN took the matter up, our detained members were taken to court and terrorism charges were instituted against them.  Up till now, the matter is still before the court.

    How do you think the logjam in Rivers’ Judiciary can be cleared?

     The way out is that both parties should do the right thing, which means they should do what the constitution says. There is no way you are going to appoint a Chief Judge in a state without the inputs of the NJC, state governor and the state House of Assembly. Let them do the right thing.

    Why did JUSUN embark on the nationwide strike?

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered judgment on January 13 this year in our favour in the case in which we sought the interpretation of sections 81(3), 121 (3) and 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution.

    The court ordered that the Accountants-General of the state and federation, Auditors-General of the states and the federation, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives be served with that court order for them to ensure compliance with those provisions of the constitution. We did. They were all served.

    Sometimes in February this year, the union had a NEC (National Executive Council) meeting and issued a 21-day ultimatum to embark on strike. Before the expiration of the ultimatum, we were invited to a meeting by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, who I must acknowledge and appreciate for his efforts in this matter. He has put in his  best to ensure that this matter is resolved.

    At that meeting, we were persuaded not to embark on the strike on the understanding that we should give them time to study the court order and comply with it. We agreed. Towards the end of March, we issued a fresh 21-day ultimatum. The same thing happened. We were invited to a meeting. The NJC (National Judicial Council), the FJSC (Federal Judicial Service Commission), Wages and Salaries Commission and the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, were invited.

    When we saw they were still foot-dragging on their promise to abide by the judgment, we decided to go on strike.

    Do you mean most states are yet to obey the judgment?

    All the states are in default. None of them has complied with the judgment. Why we delayed before going on strike was to show that we are mature and not that we have interest in going on strike. We were interested in the amicable resolution of the issue.

    Before the federal judicial workers joined the strike, the Minister of Labour and Productivity called a meeting. The NJC was in attendance, with some directors and the Accountants-General of the Federation and we were asked to suspend the strike. We said JUSUN would suspend the strike if we get a cogent, concrete, presentable commitment from the government

    We are not saying you should pay the money now. But let us assume that if both the representatives of the Federal and State governments say that we agree there is a court judgment, give us one week, give us two weeks, give us one month, to comply with it, that is acceptable.

    The commitment should be in written form. It can no longer be in verbal form because we have had a number of verbal assurances which have failed.

    We were even given written memorandum which failed and more importantly the Accountant-General of the Federation caused about 25 per cent of the problem. Because the Constitution, in Section 162(9) provides that he (the Accountant-General of the Federation) should deduct the funds standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the budget from the source and pay same to the NJC for onward disbursement.

    Was that what the court judgment of January 13 said?

    Yes, the judgment affirmed it. That was what we went to court to seek interpretation for and the court ruled in our favour, upholding the provisions of the constitution. Even, if the Accountant General of the Federation feels that there is a clash in Section 121 or whatever, it is not for him to say it because he is not a court. If he is contesting the judgment, the right thing for him to do is to go back to court to challenge the judgment.

    In as much as he did not challenge the judgment, he has no moral right not to comply with the court order. If he deducts the money from the state governments’ funds from the source and any governor complains, he only has to say that he is relying on the court order.  It is now for the state governors to accept it or go to court to challenge the judgment. If anybody is not happy with the judgment, the person should go to the Court of Appeal and if the court says stay action, so be it.

    Has the Attorney-General of the Federation been involved in this matter?

    He is affected directly and his representatives have been coming to all our meetings with the Minister of Labour, and the position of the Ministry of Justice is one. It is that since there is a court order, it must be complied with if there is no appeal.

    That is the position of the Ministry of Justice. Maybe what the Attorney-General of the Federation should have done is to go further to invite his colleagues in various states, the Attorneys-General of the states, with a view to resolving this problem. But right now there are some few states, two or three, who are making contacts with the union on how to resolve the problem.

    Have representatives of the states been involved in your earlier meetings to resolve the problem?

     They have not been participating. None of them has been participating. The Minister of Labour kept mounting pressure on the union to call of the strike, to show how concerned we are,we said the Commissioners of Finance have a forum, and  they have a chairman; the Accountants-General of the states have a forum and they have a chairman, invite these two chairmen, let them come to the meeting. Let us meet with them and make a commitment.

    But we learnt that the Accountant-General of the Federation, because of the pressure on him, wrote a letter to the state governors, asking them  to comply with the court order. My problem with this letter, though the content of the letter sounds good and looks beautiful, but the question remains, which, between the court order and the letter of the Accountant-General of the Federation has the greater binding effect?

    If a judge of competent jurisdiction makes an order and nobody is willing to respect it, should I as a unionist now rely on the letter of the Accountant-General of the Federation?

    What is the Accountant-General of the Federation expected to do as ordered by the court?

    What the Accountant-General of the Federation should do is to deduct funds meant for the judiciary directly from the state government’s allocation before releasing it to them. That is the position. Whether the court is correct or wrong, it is never my business, it is not the business of the Accountant-General of the Federation.  It is the business of the person whose money is deducted to go to court to challenge it. It is a simple issue.

    Were you bothered about the impact of the strike on litigants and awaiting trial inmates who are in custody and in need of court services to secure their freedom?

     We have been thinking of them and that is why for the last 10 to 15 years, whenever the situation of this nature came up, we were asked to consider them and we have been considering them. And nobody after the suspension of our strike is looking at our situation to ensure our demands are met.

    There is no way a judge can work effectively and deliver a sound judgment without a conducive environment. My problem is that people have failed to understand that it is not only the superior courts are courts. Go and see our magistrate’s courts, see our Area Courts, our Sharia Courts, or our Customary Courts, they are using rented shops and parlours.

    In what states do we have courts using rented apartments?

    That is the situation in virtually all the 36 states. I challenge anybody to contradict me; that is what is happening in virtually all the 36 states.  People do not even appreciate magistrates in the magistrate’s courts or sharia courts, and these are the people who can attend to 17 to 20 cases in a day. These are the people who take the cases of the ordinary men in the society.

    Do we then say that by this strike, the judicial workers are fighting the cause of judges and magistrates?

    We are not  fighting for anybody. We are fighting for the system. We are in this struggle because we are employed as staff of the judiciary.

     So, how are your members going to benefit from the fruit of the struggle if the Executive eventually comply with the judgment?

     Our members will benefit from the fruit of the struggle immensely. We desire a conducive environment to work where we can give the best. The service I am delivering will be improved. I will do my work with sincerity, honesty and with the best effect. Again, if we achieve the financial autonomy or financial independence in the judiciary, my welfare will improve.

    When the environment where you are working has all that qualify it to be called a good office, especially a court, you will discharge your duties effectively and with joy.

    Today, a litigant comes to court, the court is being rented in the house of the person suing him, and you are expecting him to get justice.

    We are not fighting for our pockets; we are fighting for the system, for the structure, for the judiciary to be a strong institution that it is supposed to be. The issue has always been that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

    How is the judgment obtained by a former NBA President, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), different from the one got by your union?

    We will come to the issues in the judgment obtained by Agbakoba anytime from October, November or December. That is when we will start seeing the effect of that judgment because that is the period budgeting processes will begin.  The judgment deals with the procedure of budgeting for the judiciary and we will see whether the Federal Government and the state governments will be adamant.

    From this year, JUSUN will never accept, we will not allow anybody to compromise the integrity and independence of the institution we are serving. Everybody is crying for democracy, and there is no way democracy will survive where impunity reigns. There is no way democracy will thrive without observing the rule of law.

    All we are saying is that our patience has been taken for granted for too long. We have been mindful of the institution we are serving that is why we don’t make comments on every issue, we don’t make pronouncement on every issue we don’t even go on strike because of all issues we have been controlling ourselves.

  • Arochukwu death trap: Community seeks autonomy

    Arochukwu death trap: Community seeks autonomy

    Ensuing from the glaring neglect of the Arochukwu-Ohafia Road, there are emerging facts that the people of the area have threatened to declare a republic independent of Abuja administration.

    The road, described as the worst in Nigeria, has been a subject of contention. They maintain that since the end of the civil war in 1970, nothing has been done to upgrade or rehabilitate the road.

    Latest information which is unknown to the people of the area is that the contract for the rehabilitation of the road has been allegedly terminated. The contract was said to have been awarded to an unknown contractor said to be a relation of President Goodluck Jonathan. It was alleged that the contractor had received an upfront fee of N4.8 billion for the execution of the project.

    The less-than-40-kilometre stretch of road was expected to be completed in June this year. But the contractor had not done up to two kilometres of the road two years after the contract was awarded. He had been using the period of rainy season as a subterfuge.

    In the circumstances therefore, the people of the area are asking that President Jonathan and the National Assembly should avail them the opportunity to take their destiny into their own hands.

    Hon. Jude Nwokoro, who was the immediate past Special Adviser to Governor Theodore Orji on Works was of the view that the demand of the professionals of the area that they be given a Republican status “for them to take their destiny into their hands may be credible.”

    According to him, if that would solve the problem, let it be. The road has remained neglected and unattended to since after the civil war.

    “I am not advocating the split of the country but if it is possible that the people of Arochukwu could address their problem regarding their road by giving them autonomy, I will not oppose it. This is because the people have suffered extremely because of that road,” Nwokoro said.

    The professionals of the area had, during a town hall meeting, given two options on how to end their plight. The first is to be granted an autonomous status independent of Abuja’s control while the second is to merge the area with Akwa Ibom State where the people are enjoying the benefits of democracy unhindered.

    They had, at a previous meeting, told President Jonathan and members of the National Assembly representing the area, Senator Uche Chukwumerije and Hon. Arua Arunsi to forget coming to the area for political campaigns until the road is fixed.

    At the latest meeting, they stopped short of declaring a no confidence vote on Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State who they accused of being nonchalant to the suffering of the people of the area. They expressed their disbelief over the explanation advanced by the governor that he was prevented from rehabilitating the road by the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja.

    “If this is true, the governor should come to Arochukwu and publicly tell us his own side of the story,” a prominent member of the Arochukwu professionals, Mazi Henry Ekelem Okoronkwo stated.

    Chief Onwuka Ukwa who is indigenous to Ohafia described the road as an example “of a trip to hell because there is nothing there that could be described as a road. It is an embarrassment for inhabitants of Arochukwu to be regarded as part of Nigerians.”

    Ukwa, who is a chieftain of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said: “The only way I can describe Ohafia-Arochukwu Road is that it is a trip to hell because there is nothing that gives it a semblance of a road. I have personally made trips to Arochukwu and swore that unless something is done, I will not visit Arochukwu again.

    “And it is a shame that inhabitants of Arochukwu will call themselves Nigerians. I am calling on the Vice-President Namadi Sambo to visit Arochukwu.

    “On his return, let him make a personal report to our dear President Goodluck Jonathan. That is the only way I can describe the experience of the people during a trip to Arochukwu.

    “Sambo should visit the area by road and not by air. And also depart Arochukwu by road to Ohafia.”

  • Fayemi promises autonomy for more communities

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has promised to give autonomy to communities that meet the requirements.

    Fayemi spoke at the weekend in Araromi-Ugbesi, Ekiti East Local Government Area, during his tour of the state.

    He said any town that “had a history of autonomy before it was subsumed by a larger community should send a paper to the relevant authorities for processing”.

    Other towns visited in the council include Ilasa, Araromi Oke, Omuo Oke, Eda Ile, Kota and Omuo Obadore.

    The governor was warmly welcomed by the people.

    Fayemi said he had no sole power to grant communities autonomy, adding that the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs and House of Assembly had critical roles to play on autonomy requests by communities.

    He said his administration had spent N600 million on Community Self Help projects, otherwise known as “Grants-in-aid”, across the 16 councils of the state.

    Fayemi assured the people of improved conditions of living.

    He said: “To get autonomy, you have to send your memoranda to the Council of Traditional Rulers. If your case is considered important at that level, then the House of Assembly will approve it and I will ratify or do otherwise.

    “But I want to assure you that my government will not deprive any community the right to autonomy, particularly if such community has been an autonomous one by history.”

  • Teachers kick against council autonomy

    •Say it’ll kill primary education

    Primary and secondary school teachers in Nigeria yesterday kicked against moves to grant autonomy to the local councils.

    They said such autonomy will endanger the management of primary education as was the case in the past.

    Addressing members in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during the celebration of the World Teachers Day, the President of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Michael Olukoya, said local government areas across the country lack the resources, accountability and discipline to manage primary education.

    Olukoya urged President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to take management of primary education away from the residual list and transfer it to the exclusive or concurrent list.

    The NUT president, who was represented by Mrs. Grace Falaye of the Edo State chapter, urged the National Assembly to “temper its determination to enforce local government autonomy with nationalism and patriotism.”

    He also urged the federal government to accept fiscal responsibility or cede payment of salaries of primary school teachers to the state government.

    Olukoya said: “The local government areas in Nigeria, we have found, are lacking in resources, in probity, in discipline, nationalism and patriotism to manage primary education.

    “Our concern is not to ride against the tide but to enter a caution in our avowed commitment to save education from total collapse and wreckage.”

    He went on: “We insist that this all- important tier of education is not one that can be left in the hands of amateurish third tier of government.

    “Our demand is that primary education should be moved away from the ambit of local governments in Nigeria.”

     

  • Don seeks autonomy for PG schools

    Don seeks autonomy for PG schools

    Olubukanla Okusanya, a professor of Plant Ecology at the Covenant University, Ota has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to allow the senates of universities to regulate their postgraduate training to suit the needs of their host communities.

    He said this while giving the keynote address at a meeting of the Committee of Deans of Postgraduate Schools (CDPGS) at the African Leadership Development Centre (ALDC) of CU.

    He said: “For example, the programme at universities in urban area may benefit more by industrial attachments rather than by lectures or courses. The benchmark issues in the postgraduate education in Nigerian universities even though well intentioned may lead to undesired consequence like depriving the University Senate of its right to regulate its postgraduate academic training to suit its environmental needs.”

    Okusanya, who made the suggestion in view of the recent benchmark set by the NUC for minimum academic standards for postgraduate programmes offered in Nigerian universities, noted that the regulatory body’s role should be to ensure programmes are not below standard rather insist that all universities do the same thing.

    “This benchmark set by the NUC, unfortunately tends to lead to harmonisation rather than streamlining postgraduate programme in all universities,” he said.

    However, for any benchmark to be meaningful, Okusanya said attention must be given to class attendance by postgraduate students; and adequate funding.

    Okusanya said many postgraduate students who fail to attend classes still graduate, which should not be the case.

    “Even though a student is supposed to spend a specific period on a programme, Mr Dean, do you know where your students are? In universities in federal and state capitals and local government headquarters, there are a number of students in full-time employment while on full-time enrolment. They employ surrogates to help them copy notes, do assignments and possibly the projects. Some even work as far as Abuja and ‘attend’ lectures in the south! Yet, they graduate at the end of the course!”

    Faulting the Federal Government’s foreign scholarship for first-class graduates, Okusanya said all efforts should be made to improve postgraduate training in the universities so that they can study at home.

    “First, does it mean means that our Ph.D degrees are inferior to those from overseas? Second, should such huge amount of foreign currency not be used in developing our postgraduate programmes and research here in Nigeria? The equipment and supplies bought for one student would be used by many more students. These first class students could just be given a year overseas exposure,” he said.

     

  • Northern council chairmen seek autonomy

    Northern council chairmen seek autonomy

    THE chairmen of 419 local government councils in the North have called on the Federal Government to grant autonomy to all local government councils in the country to ensure transparent and efficient administration.

    The group, under the aegis of Northern Local Government Chairmen’s Forum (NLGCF), also warned against politicisation of the on-going face-off between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and government.

    The national chairman of NLGCF and Chairman Dekina Local Government Council in Kogi State, Mr. Ali Mohammed, told reporters in Abuja at the weekend that the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a threat to the national interest.

    He said: “The current ASUU strike should not be swindled with political strokes; rather ASUU and the Federal Government should, in the interest of our educational system and Nigerian students, resolve this matter amicably and on time too.”

    The NLGCF also called on the PDP’s National Working Committee to broker peace and foster unity within the party to safeguard the unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.

    Mohammed said: “A political party is a big family bound to encounter crisis. Thus a mechanism should be put in place to resolve the matter amicably.”

     

  • APC governors oppose autonomy for local govts

    APC governors oppose autonomy for local govts

    The policy position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) began to unfold yesterday as its governors opposed local governments autonomy.

    The governors also said the power to alter the revenue allocation formula, which is vested in the President, should be transferred to the National Assembly.

    The 11 governors met under the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

    The House of Representatives voted for councils’ autonomy in the proposed amendment to the Constitution.

    Apart from host Governor Tanko Al-Makura, the meeting was attended by Governors Kashim Shettima (Borno), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Abdulazeez Yari (Zamfara), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo). Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha was represented by his deputy Prince Eze Madumere. Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Geidam, who is away in Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj, sent an apology.

    Fayemi read the communiqué of the meeting, saying: “The Forum commits itself to the process of APC party formation and consolidation, in line with the on-going efforts of the interim national leadership and with the understanding of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) as it affects the development of healthy relationship among the members of the APC.

    “The PGF discussed constitutional amendment extensively and resolved that the issue of Local Government Administration, recognising the fact that Federalism is the basis of our sovereignty, is a matter within the purview of the Federating Unit and every attempt to legislate by the National Assembly on any aspect of Local Government Administration will tilt the country towards a unitary state. This will undermine and weaken the fundamental principles of our federalism.

    “The Forum deliberated on revenue allocation and notes that in spite of recommendations made to the Presidency, no effect has been given to the extant proposals on the need to give more funds to the states and local governments because that is where the citizens reside.

    “The PGF further recommends that the powers to alter the revenue allocation formula currently with the Presidency should be vested in the National Assembly henceforth.

    Fayemi said the meeting also discussed a number of national issues in the on-going “dialogue to salvage the nation, proffer practical solutions on moving Nigeria forward as well as strategies to complement efforts of the interim national executives to strengthen the party” .

    The Forum praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for rising to the occasion by registering the APC in the overall national interest.

    It, however, hoped that such “nationalistic and patriotic position of INEC” shall continue to guide its conduct with respect to its statutory mandate.

    The Forum expressed confidence in the interim national executive of the APC “in its on-going efforts to reposition the party as a credible alternative to the teeming Nigerians that are yearning for change”.

    Other decisions reached include: “The Forum condemns the killing of security operatives at Lakyo by the outlawed Ombatse militia and commends the Nasarawa State Government for the proactive steps taken in instituting a Judicial Commission of Inquiry with a view to bringing to book the perpetrators of this dastardly act.

    “The Forum condemns unreservedly the repression in Egypt, following the unconstitutional ouster of a democratically-elected government and calls on the International community to ensure speedy resolution of the crisis.”

    Elaborating on the position of the governors on council autonomy, Oshiomhole said: “We are in a federal system. The basis of our federation is the states, not local governments, and we are not going to reinvent the wheel in Nigeria.

    “To legislate on autonomy can be handled by state governments that believe in it. You can’t impose one drug that cures all ailments. The fact of our diversity itself suggests that it is better to allow certain issues to be dealt with at the level of state governments.

    “If Nasarawa State, for example, feels that it wants to give additional responsibilities to the local governments, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly should have the power to so legislate. That power should not reside in Abuja. That is the issue. Who decides what is the issue?

    “Abuja should not be the one prescribing one drug for every Nigerian ailment. We have Houses of Assembly and they are just as responsible as their counterparts in Abuja. That is the point we are making.”

    He added: “But I also want to say that too often we forget how we got to where we are. In the name of autonomy in the past, some local governments were unable or unwilling to pay salaries of primary school teachers, such that in some states’ teachers were not paid for about five months.

    “The result was that in those states, teachers were on strike endlessly. Part of the intervention now is to insist that local governments must give priority to the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries. If that means intervention, it is a progressive intervention.

    “So, autonomy is not an end in itself; it is about the purpose of autonomy and the character of that autonomy and you cannot be autonomous from your own people.

    “The Federal Government must recognise that we are in a federation. The Edo State House of Assembly can decide to legislate and give more powers, money and responsibilities to local governments. It has the power to do so. That power should not reside in Abuja. That is the point we are making.”

    Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, urged the proponents of local government autonomy to reread their Constitution.

    He said: “I think the first thing to say is to identify with the position taken by the governor of Edo State. But perhaps as we discuss this, it is for us to understand the Constitution which guarantees a system of democratically elected local governments by laws made by the State Houses of Assembly for the purposes of ensuring that that system works.

    “It also provides that it is the states that create the local governments, first by holding a referendum, secondly by enacting a law and thereafter sending the list to the National Assembly.

    “Some of the things we are saying here is that remove that listing from inside the Constitution because if the local governments are created by the state, why should they seek autonomy from an agency or an institution that did not create them?

    “The parents should decide whether their children will go out at night and not to go and ask the neighbour next door to give them permission to enable their children go out at night.”

    Fayemi said:”We condemn unreservedly what happened in Borno State. We have been in Borno State in solidarity with our colleague there and the people of Borno State.

    “The responsibility that we have is not just to verbalise our abhorrence of what has been happening there. We also take other measures, like supporting the provision of relief materials and also working at various levels to insist on a security cum economic strategy that will ultimately put paid to this carnage going on in that part of the country.”

    On how the newly registered APC hopes to overome the rivalry among the merging parties, Fayemi said: “We don’t want to go into any defensive position about that. But you recall that in our statement we stressed one point: accommodation and tolerance of all interested parties who have joined in consummating this merger.

    “So, we are not going to go on a finger pointing spree. Those matters are still matters that we are consistently working on to provide accommodation. This is a process.

    “It is not an event and it is natural that it will take us time in order to fully bring everybody together. But what is clear is that there is no single party in this merger that is repudiating what has been done.

    “There may be local dynamics and local realities to the merger that we must respond and attend to on the ground and I can assure you that it is something that is going on in all our states.”

    Shettima added that the APC places premium on internal democracy.

    He said: “Another issue has to be internal democracy. In our party, we do not take every voice of dissent as treason. So, such disagreements are inevitable in a political process.

    “It is very much welcome but the most important thing is that we are determined to redefine the meaning and concept or modern governance in this country and we are going to change the face of politics in Nigeria.”

    Al-Makura said: “We have one goal, one mission and one vision and that is to salvage this country from the ruling party and also look at the avenue and vehicle for implementing these good policies, that is, through our own ideology, philosophy of social democracy which promotes social justice, transparency, accountability and the rule of law.”