Some stakeholders recently converged in Anambra state capital Awka to proffer reliable solutions towards overcoming the challenges of Local Government administration in Nigeria. Our correspondent, OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU reports.
Public discourse on LG polls
The need to conduct local government election in Anambra state is currently generating good attention from all stakeholders.
From political parties to the church, voters, civil society organisations and media, it has become a public discourse eliciting what can be described as positive responses in recent time.
Anambra state, which prides itself as light of the nation, last conducted election into the third tier of the government on January 11, 2014, which led to emergence of democratically elected 21 chairmen and 326 counsellors.
Many residents and natives of Anambra were jubilant over it even though it is a constitutional matter which must be adhered to by every democratic government.
Actually, why many considered it as something worth celebrating was because Anambra state first held council polls after the return of democracy was in 1999.
At the end of the tenure of those elected, the then Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju (now late) constituted a Transition Committee (TC). This was followed by subsequent governors – Dr Chris Ngige, Mr Peter Obi (after Supreme Court restored his mandate), Virgy Etiaba (Acting Governor during Obi’s impeachment) and Mr Peter Obi (after surviving impeachment).
Unsuccessful efforts to conduct LG polls
However, unsuccessful attempts were made to conduct the election on December 4, 2004, February 2005, November 2011, October 5, 2013, December 14, 2013 and December 21, 2013. So, the people were happy because they never believed Mr Peter Obi could later summon courage to organise the poll 12 years later and barely two months to end of his second term.
As his successor, former governor Willie Obiano took over the mantle of leadership on March 17, 2014 under the same All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) philosophy and mantra of continuity, complete and commence new projects, the citizenry were hopeful to exercise their franchise again and again.
But Obiano’s administration shattered the dream when he appointed the former elected Council officers as TC Chairmen and members (Counselors) on 2017.
He renewed their appointments every three months continuously, with some holding unto the power for 8 years, just as others served between 2, 3 or 4 years before been succeeded by new TC chairmen and councillors.
As a result of the foregoing, issues of conduct of Local Government election became a laudable political campaign strategy among the 18 political parties that participated in Anambra state 2021 gubernatorial poll.
Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the APGA candidate for the poll also made it a policy thrust, stating that he would conduct council polls within six months of assuming office, if he won.
But since assumption of office on March 17, 2022, to date, approximately 21 months later, the governor has not deemed it to reconstitute the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) whose duty it is to conduct election.
The last ANSIEC Chairman was Mr Sylvester Okonkwo, the man behind the 2014 LG poll, and he had not only left the commission but also joined his ancestors.
Criticism of TC
Also, Soludo, on assumption of office, retained most of the TC Chairmen and members handed over to him up to six months before appointing new ones to be overseeing affairs of Council Areas up to date.
Stakeholders in the tate have continued to kick against this use of caretaker committees in running affairs of Local Government (LG) system but their voices got amplified on December 8, 2023 as an Abuja based- African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) in partnership with International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), in collaboration with Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, convoked stakeholders forum at Awka under the topic ‘Strengthening Transparency, Accountability in Governance and Electoral Process (STAGE).’
The forum was attended by traditional rulers, civil society organisations, government representatives, journalists, the clergy, political party leaders, among others. According to the Director of Strategy, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Abuja, Itia Otabor, essence of the stakeholders forum was to bring together key players in Anambra state LG system to brainstorm on importance of conducting council poll as it was a step to rejuvenate interest towards that.
LG polls not a favour
“Our deliberation will not only be fruitful but a cornerstone towards the conduct of Local Government election in Anambra state. LG election is a constitutional matter not a favour. It is enshrined in section 7 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. The constitution stated that there must be democratically elected Local government officers. We are here to rally round support and partnership to see it happen,” he added.
Speaking at the occasion, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Henry Duru, called for a review of Local Government system to be at par with other tiers of government rather than state governors’ who believed were turning it into instrument for reward of political party men and supporters.
According to Duru, the thirty six state governors had reduced LG areas into pseudo democracy through unhealthy interferences such as non-conduct of election, use of caretaker committees, ensuring that only party members and loyalties were appointed as State Independent electoral commission or win election at the third tier of government.
“Thus, these appointed or supposedly elected officials are mere appendages to the governors which makes mockery of the constitutionally envisaged democratic functioning of this tier of government. Another factor to be signposted in our quest for a viable and democratically functional LG system is the financial interest of state governors in local governments.
“This has been seen as one of the variables that have nurtured this culture of reluctance to allow genuine democracy at this level of government. Appointing LG officials or meddling in their election enables the governors to maintain control over the finances of the local governments.
“This leads us to the issue of accountability and transparency in the LG system. A lot of things seem shrouded at that level of government as there is no robust mechanism for checks and balances. This is largely given that, that tier of government has not been exactly constituted as a democratic unit. A situation where state governors have emasculated the financial system of the LG system would give little room for transparency,” he maintained.
Duru’s position was that the 1976 local government reform in Nigeria which is enshrined under section 7(1) of 1999 Constitution (as amended), was an attempt to realise local government as the third tier of government where participation of the grassroots in governance is best guaranteed through bringing government closer to them but what is currently happening nationwide contradicts it
“These chief executives (governors) have continued to see the LG system, not as a fully-fledged third tier of government for service delivery to the people, but as a tool for strengthening their political position. So, they see it a personal political weapon to be guarded jealously, hence are reluctant to subject its composition to an electoral process.
“This is why it has become commonplace for incoming governors to sack elected or appointed LG officials when they belong to opposition parties This is unmitigated appropriation of State apparatus; weaponisation of state institution for political gains.
“It’s for the above reason that even when governors are benevolent enough to conduct LG polls, these exercises end up being a charade as they become a selection rather than an election process. Thus, the ruling party in any state hardly gives the opposition a chance in any LG elections.
“Having appropriated the LG system as a political arsenal, these governors would take no risk of living it for grabs in a free and fair election. Thus, it’s not just about having LG elections, but having it in a manner that’s consistent with its democratic status as envisaged by the constitution,” he added.
On his part, the Chairman, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCR), Awka, Prince Chris Azor, observed that it was unfortunate that Anambra state which is light of the nation was lagging behind with the conduct of Local Government election.
“The LG election is very important. We want to encourage and suggest to the government on how best to get it done. We are not partisans. Our philosophy is to put people at stretch. Any government that takes care of the citizens and security have done a pass mark. And Local government election is one of the means of taking good care of the citizens because it encourages citizens participation in governance from the grassroots, ” he noted.
Contributing, the Traditional Ruler of Nawgu, Dunukofia LGA, Igwe George E. Okaa-Onwuogu; and Administration Secretary, Society for Equity, Justice & Peace SEJUP, Venerable Jason Onyeakagbusi, argued that conduct of LG election would not only take the government closer to the people but also create jobs, eradicate crimes, boost the State economy, while creating healthy environment for competition among Council Areas and grassroots politicians.
But responding, the Anambra State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, represented by Ms Ogochukwu Oji, reassured that Soludo would conduct Local government election because he was a man of his words and lover of due process.
Also, the member representing Awka North LGA and Chairman, Anambra State House of Assembly committee on Local Government, Hon. Chimezie Ikwunne, explained that the state legislators would not only ensure that adequate provisions were made for effective conduct of Council poll but also work in harmony with the state executive to entrench peaceful and transparent running affairs of the LG.
Ikwunne’ speech was in sharp contrast to a recent comment by Hon. Henry Nigeria Mbachu, the member representing Awka South I at the same Anambra State House of Assembly.
Mbachu had explained that his finding from N410 billion 2024 budget estimate submitted by the governor showed that there was no plan for the poll because in page 475 of the budget for Anambra State independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), the sum of N89,120,000.00 was budgeted in 2023 while the projected estimate for the incoming year (2024) is ₦229,120,000.00.
However, the stakeholders forum issued a communique, noting that the state government has the wherewithal to conduct the election if it holds unto its policy thrust because of the “need to organize local government elections in Anambra state.
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, promised to undertake local government elections within six months of being elected. If there is an impediment for Governor Soludo not to organize the local government elections, he owes it as a duty to address the state on the matter.”
