Lawan, Gbajabiamila lobby governors to save LG autonomy bill
The Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila have appealed to governors to allow the Local government autonomy bill and other the 43 constitutional alteration bills sent to the States Houses of Assembly to scale through.
Lawan and Gbajabiamila made the plea on Monday at the Distinguished Parliamentarians Lecture 2022 series organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja on Monday.
Newsflash Nigeria had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had slammed Governors over what he described as their unfair treatment of the administration at the local government level.
The President spoke from the heart after delivering his speech at an event hosted for members of the Senior Executive Course 44 (2022) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja two weeks ago.
The President portrayed the sort of corrupt practices perpetrated by some Governors in dispensing resources meant for local councils’ administrations.
He said it beats anyone’s imagination how some Governors would collect money on behalf of council areas in their States only to remit half to the council chairman, who would further deplete the remittance in further pilfering of public resources.
He related the situation to a lack of integrity among many of those holding such offices.
Such actions, he said, are despicable and speak of the height of corruption in the country.
On Monday, December 12, the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives appealed to governors to allow the Local government autonomy bill sent to the States’ Houses of Assembly to scale through.
It would be recalled that there is a current face-off between the governors and the federal lawmakers over the State Police bill rejected by the National Assembly.
The governors, who want the lawmakers to sign the reconsider the police bill, have reportedly given a condition that the state police bill must be reconsidered or States Assembly won’t proceed with the amendment process.
According to the 1999 constitution, constitution amendment bills must be passed by the National Assembly and must also be passed by 24 States Houses of Assembly, however, the impasse between the governors and the lawmakers put the bills at risk.
Lawan, in his speech, urged the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Elrufai, who was present at the event, to help lobby his colleagues.
He disclosed that the National Assembly is yet to get a response from the state’s legislature, adding that the clock is ticking on the process.
“We will ask you to lobby for us. We have sent (to the States) the outcome of our Constitution review and we are yet to receive all from the States. So, we should be able to wind up this process by getting responses from the state Houses of Assembly.
“Even if it is one month left, we have the capacity to work together to ensure that we pass some of the legislations that are required in a very expeditious manner. Plead, lobby your Governor colleagues for us because I can see that you do that very well,” he urged.
Also speaking on the bills, Gbajabiamila said the lawmakers are not certain the process can be completed in this assembly.
He joined the Senate President in appealing to the governors to speed up the process.
“That process now seems to have stalled in the State Assemblies. As it is today, it is doubtful that the current constitutional amendment effort will conclude before the expiration of this legislative term.
“However, the appeal made by the Senate President to Governor Nasir el-Rufai for the required cooperation of Governors on the exercise may bring the process back to life.”
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