Prime 9ja Online dey report say House of Representatives don ask Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to stop allocations from Federation Account to local government areas wey no get elected officials.
Dis follow motion of urgent public importance wey Hon. Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos) and Jonathan Gaza Gbewfi bring to House. Dem want address refusal of state governments to uphold democratic principles in local government and financial impropriety.
House want RMAFC to create special account wey allocations due to local governments run by unelected officials go into until elected representatives dey put in place by state governments. House also ask Attorney-General of Federation to institute legal action against any state wey terminate unexpired tenure of local government.
Hon. Kuye, wey move motion, say Section 7 of Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, guarantee system of local government run by democratically elected officials while state governments suppose ensure their existence.
According to am, local government, as envisaged by constitution, na most important tier of government as it dey closest to people and form foundation of both state and federal governments.
"Senate pass resolution to stop allocation to some states in December 2023 after debate on motion sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro on urgent need to halt erosion of democracy in local governments," he say.
"Many Senators also urge government to sanction other states wey don disrupt democratic system in local governments and install unelected caretaker committees."
"Dissolution of democratically elected councils dey direct contravention of section 7 of Nigerian Constitution, Supreme Court pronouncements on such matters, and deliberate affront on democracy."
"Number of states wey dey act with impunity and in utter disregard to constitution continue to increase as not less than 21 state governors dey currently run local government councils with caretaker committees."
"Dis impunity and disregard to constitution na deliberate effort to upstage democracy, frustrate accountability and transparency in local government, and thwart their development potentials."
Source: Prime 9ja Online Pidgin: Reps Order RMAFC to Freeze Allocations to LGAs Run by Unelected Officials