The Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, has assured that the National Assembly would ensure full compliance by the various state governments with the judgment on the financial autonomy granted to the nation’s 774 Local Government Areas by the the Supreme Court.
Senator Karimi, who is the Chairman Senate Services Committee gave the assurance at the weekend in Abuja
while speaking with newsmen on the Supreme Court, judgment, also promised that the National Assembly would equally take up the responsibility of amending the constitution to address the inherent contentious issues in the mat.
According to him, “these inherent contentious issues include grey areas like the transfer of the responsibility of the conduct of elections to the local councils from the various state electoral bodies to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
This came just as Senator Karimi declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserved commendation on the landmark judgment which had remained unresolved by the previous administrations in the country over the years
According to him, ” President Tinubu deserves to be honoured in the nation’s “Hall of Fame” for enabling the judiciary free hand to function, which culminated in such historic adjudication.
“I thank Mr President for mustering the courage to do the right thing. Since 1999, the third tier of government literally speaking, has been nonexistent. State governments treated them as appendages of the state governments. No President, has been able to change that.
* But, within one year, however, President Tinubu has returned the local government to the owners-the masses. Local governments, if well operated, will ensure a better existence for our people. President Tinubu took due cognizance of this and courageously took the bull by the horn
” This is commendable, I want to assure the Nigerian populace that the National Assembly will ensure full compliance by the various state governments while also taking up the responsibility of amending the constitution to address inherent contentious issues such as the transfer of the responsibility of the conduct of elections to the local councils from the various state electoral bodies to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
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Senator Karimi however noted that the battle was not yet over , saying,”some state governors will fight back President Tinubu to have allowed the judiciary a free hand to operate in this particular instance, irrespective of the fact that he is but a first term President who may desire a comeback in 2027.”
He pointed out that President Tinubu took the matter to the Supreme Court for adjudication primarily because of his single-minded concern for the masses.
“I align myself with the President on this. It takes a man of the people, it takes a man of courage, it takes a man that knows and feels the pulse of the masses to make this to happen. he has seen it all, as a former Senator and a former Governor. Former President Buhari promised to push this but lacked the presence of mind and political will to pursue it.
“The National Assembly through our oversight responsibility will ensure that revenue from the federal purse goes to where it is suppose to go. We will ensure that the Supreme Court judgment is obeyed to the letter, that allocation is shared between the three tiers of government in accordance with the law.”
The next step, Karimi said, was ” to ensure that the local government elections are conducted by the INEC.
According to him, “the National Assembly has a duty to amend the electoral act and the 1999 constitution to ensure that credible people are elected to the helms of the local government administrations in the country to ensure that capable individuals can step forward to contest local government elections, experienced people will be needed to manage the funds effectively, and prioritize the development of the grassroots for the masses to become actively involved in shaping the future of their local governments.
” A lot of money that has gone to the local governments, over the years were either taken over by the state governments through the joint accounts or not accounted for. Prosperity will remember President Tinubu for this epoch making achievement, his second term is assured”.
