Yesterday, a section of the media reported that the Kwara State Government had through its Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Senior Ibrahim-Sulyman, urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the suit filed by the Federal Government seeking full autonomy for the 774 local government councils in the country. The Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led government argued that granting the third-tier of government autonomy “will further impoverish most Nigerians who are downtrodden in the local government areas.”
However, hours after this report surfaced online, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq via a statement issued by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, declared that he was in full support of autonomy for local councils, a sharp contrast to the position presented to the Apex Court by the government he heads. By this move, AA, as he is fondly referred to in Kwara, has once again demonstrated his proclivity for deceit and hypocrisy, and has further shown to Kwarans why he cannot be trusted or taken seriously.
The defence filed by State government asking the court to dismiss FG’s case for local government autonomy was followed by a contradictory statement supporting LG autonomy by Governor Abdulrazaq, is nothing but a brazen display of double-speak. It was a failed attempt at damage control and a desperate bid by the governor to hoodwink Kwarans and the general public. AA and his handlers felt they could play on our intelligence. La, they cannot. Only the gullible can be swayed by their maradonic move. The discerning minds know that the State’s Attorney-General had rightly communicated the governor’s position on the matter, which is a strong opposition to local council autonomy. Ramoni should save us the rhetoric of “I believe in full LG autonomy.”
Abdulrazaq’s words are empty. His actions speak louder. He can’t claim to support LG autonomy while perpetuating impunity and lawlessness in Kwara LGs. This is a governor who has, since assumption of office, consistently subverted democratic principles and made mockery of due process and rule. In a flagrant disregard for constitutional provision and ruling of the Supreme Court, Ramoni arbitrarily sacked democratically elected local government chairmen, replaced them with his stooges and denied the people their constitutional right to elect their representatives at the local level in the last five years, thereby undermining growth and development at that tier of government. Abdulrazaq’s actions reek of authoritarianism, abuse of office, and contempt for the rule of law. A man who has perpetuated this level of impunity and recklessness cannot just suddenly turn back and tell us he supports full autonomy for the local government councils.
Forget his afterthought “I believe in full LG autonomy” rhetoric. Kwarans know full well that Abdulrazaq is opposed to freedom for local governments. They sure understand the reason for his disdain for the council’s full autonomy as being canvassed for by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He wants to continue to serve as the Alpha and Omega of the local councils, appointing for them as leaders, his cronies, and doing whatever he likes with their funds.
In his afterthought and duplicitous statement that was released last night by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulrazaq said “as things stand today, no activity of the local government in Kwara State is at variance with these provisions of the law.” This is a blatant lie. Ask AA and his handlers; Is the unlawful suspension of legally elected chairmen and appointment of caretaker committees in their place not at variance with the provisions of the law?
I call on Kwarans and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians to stand up and show support for President Tinubu and his team’s move to ensure full autonomy for local government councils and restore sanity to that tier of government that has been grossly misused and abused by our greedy and self-serving governors.
It is time we demanded genuine commitment to local government autonomy, not face-saving stunts, as being displayed by individuals like Governor Abdulrazaq. Anything less is a betrayal of the people’s trust.
It is time to free local councils from the stranglehold of manipulative governors. Nigerian Governors must end their ceaseless assault on democracy and allow local councils to breathe.
Allow the people to freely elect their representatives at the local level and allow their elected representatives to run the affairs of their councils.
Let’s join hands with the present federal administration to restore democratic governance at the local level and enthrone administrative and financial autonomy for local government councils. Effective local councils are critical to the growth and development we desire for our nation. God bless Nigeria.
This opinion is from Umar Farouq Idris (Almajiri) and does not represent us at Just Event Online TV
