The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen has described the conduct of local government councils across the states as an embarrassment.
Abba made these observations on Monday in Abuja at the national dialogue on local government and constitution amendment.
He said sadly, despite the noble intentions of the drafters of the constitution in instituting the local government system, it was evident that there were significant challenges that hindered their effectiveness.
Abbas pointed out that issues such as inadequate funding, lack of autonomy, insufficient capacity, usurpation of its functions by other levels of government, corruption, and many more, have plagued local governments for decades.
The Speaker stated categorically that when elections are characterised by a lack of competitiveness—wherein the ruling party sweeps all positions—it becomes evident that what is being witnessed is a mockery of democratic principles.
He said this scenario is not merely an embarrassment but it fosters an environment where undesirable elements infiltrate the councils and often lack the necessary capacity and vision to govern effectively.
Abbas said, “One of the most pressing issues we must deal with, is the poor quality of elections in local government councils across our states.
“This situation not only undermines the very essence of democracy but also raises serious concerns about the integrity and functionality of our local governance structures.
“When elections are characterised by a lack of competitiveness—wherein the ruling party sweeps all positions—it becomes evident that we are witnessing a mockery of democratic principles.
“This scenario is not merely an embarrassment; it poses a significant threat to our democracy. It fosters an environment where undesirable elements infiltrate these councils, often lacking the necessary capacity and vision to govern effectively.
“Consequently, local governments become mere appendages of state governments or pawns in the hands of so-called godfathers who manipulate political outcomes for their own gain.”
“Importantly, we must confront the disgraceful poor conduct of elections in the councils. We must find a way of instilling transparency, fairness and openness in the conduct of elections into local governments.
“Doing this would require the understanding and collaborative efforts of the State governors and Houses of Assembly. We must find a way of convincing them that a strengthened local government system would relieve the States of unnecessary burdens and lead to grassroots development.”
Abbas describes LG elections across the states as embarrassment