Local governments play crucial roles in actualising grassroots democracy and development.
They ensure that the gains of democracy get to the ordinary man. The local governments provide the most essential public services such as health and safety, transportation, sanitation, sustenance of the environment as well as the provision and maintenance of utilities.
Nigeria used to be a unitary state. This was from January 1900 to 1954 when it changed to a federation. The adoption of a federal system of government came with the introduction of the native authorities as a tier of government.
However, under that arrangement, the native authorities were each under the control of the regional government. That trend continued until the local government reform of 1976. The reform revolutionized the local government administration in the country and its official recognition as the third tier of government. The reform sought to address the role of local government in Nigeria. Some of the features of the reform include the creation of more local government areas, introduction of elective principles into the local government administration and the exclusion of the traditional rulers in the administration of local government councils.
Local governments were to be financed by both the federal and local government councils. In fact, the current local government system was predicated on the 1976 reform.
In a landmark decision delivered by the Supreme Court on July 11, the court reinforced the autonomy of local governments in Nigeria by affirming their status as a distinct third tier of government. That judgement addressed the crucial constitutional issues surrounding the financial independence of the local government.
The court directed the Federal Government to ensure that the funds allocated to local governments are paid directly to the accounts of democratically elected local government councils.
That decision has been welcomed by well-meaning Nigerians as laudable but not far-reaching enough to guarantee total autonomy to local governments. This is because the credibility and quality of the elections into local government remain to be sorted out.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the states embarked on local government elections but the ruling party in the states always clears the polls. This has led to voter apathy and loss of confidence in the outcomes of the local government elections.
Consequently, there have been calls from some quarters to transfer the functions of the State Independent Electoral Commissions to the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure efficiency and transparency.
“Transferring local government elections to INEC will not serve any meaningful purpose. It will only rob the local governments of their hard won autonomy and further concentrate more power in the centre”
Proponents of the centralized local government elections argue that the State Independent Electoral Commission is unduly influenced and compromised by the state governors and, therefore, cannot independently carry out its duties with the integrity expected. As such when the council polls are held, they fall short of the principles of free, fair and credible elections, with only the party in power in the states always winning overwhelmingly or in complete majority .
Unlike the 1989 Constitution that states that local government elections be held every three years, the 1999 basic law of the country is silent on this. So the local governments exist at the whims and caprices of the governors and the state Houses of Assembly.
There is therefore, need to amend the constitution to provide for the tenure of the local government councils.
Transferring local government elections to INEC will not serve any meaningful purpose. It will only rob the local governments of their hard won autonomy and further concentrate more power in the centre.
It would also further undermine the country’s federal system of government. After all, politics is local and people should be allowed to manage their electoral process at the local level.
The State Independent Electoral Commission should put measures in place that will make the use of technology in the determination of election results mandatory, in line with international best practices.
Excessive litigation over electoral outcome eroding people’s confidence in leadership
Though the 1999 Constitution established the SIECs to organize, undertake and supervise all elections to local government councils, it did not provide for the administrative and financial independence for the commission that would guarantee its autonomy.
Some people want a microwave solution to political problems.
The nation’s universities should be asked to assist in providing solutions to the election challenges plaguing the local government councils. Some university dons have contributed to advancing the frontiers of knowledge in local government administration. Their wealth of knowledge and experience should be utilized to ameliorate the challenge of local government elections.
The attitudes of some informed citizens are discouraging. They do not show any interest in the local government affairs. Some of them do not know the local government secretariats in their communities. Rather they are concerned with the political activities at federal and state levels.
Everyone needs to stand up and fight for the soul of the local government system. The citizens should demand transparency and accountability from their local government chairmen and councillors. They should also insist that governors prioritize free and fair local government elections over personal political interests.
The prime reason for the creation of local governments which is to bring development to the local communities and reduce the rural/urban migration cannot be over emphasized.
Many years ago, I travelled to Pittsburgh, USA, for a training programme. Part of the programme was a study tour of Washington DC. One of the course facilitators told me he was excited about the tour because it would afford him the opportunity of visiting Washington DC for the first time, a journey of about four hours 25 minutes. He noticed that I was surprised, and immediately told me that he had no need to travel to the city because all the social amenities he needed were in his county. Every local government should aspire to do the same in its area.
Governors should realise that the pursuit of their personal political interests at the expense of efficient local government administration, have consequences, most of which are not only borne by the governors and their co-travellers but by Nigerians who are eagerly looking forward to a local government system that works in line with international standards.
•Anyasi writes from Abuja.
