Head, News Desk, VICTOR EBIMOMI, looks at the Senate recommendation on independent candidacy and local government autonomy.
On many occasions that attempts were made to amend Nigeria’s constitution, two issues had continually been shied away from – independent candidacy and local government autonomy. Though there have been agitations by individuals and groups for the two clauses to be injected into the constitution, the moves had always met brick walls; they were usually shot down by different interests for different reasons.
Independent candidacy means that a person can contest political office without being a member of a political party. In the United States (U.S.), from where Nigeria seems to lift part of its current presidential democracy, there is independent candidacy. So also are other few advanced democracies.
The demand for autonomy for local government, which is the third-tier of government and the closest to the grassroots people, has always been an issue of debate.
Clamour for autonomy
Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), the umbrella platform for local government chairmen in the 774 local governments in the federation, has, for years, vehemently agitated for autonomy of the councils. When it perhaps dawned on it that the powers that were opposed to its clamour were formidable, ALGON narrowed the agitation to financial autonomy and jettisoned administrative ‘sovereignty’.
Major antagonism to the principle essentially comes from the governors, who in one way or another exercise firm control over virtually all the activities of the local governments.
In 2013, ALGON protested that it was being shortchanged by the state governments because of lack of autonomy.
President of ALGON, Nwabueze Okoafor, maintained that lumping the local government allocation from the federation account with that of the state leaves the former at the mercy of the latter in the performance of its statutory functions. He said the practice was no more acceptable to the association.
“As federating units, local government councils require the right level of administrative and financial autonomy (not sovereignty) to be able to discharge the weighty responsibilities and functions assigned to them by the Constitution,” he asserted.
The changing tide
But on Tuesday, October 21, a sign that the status quo is about to change appeared on the political horizon when the National Assembly (NASS) finally gave its nod to independent candidacy and autonomy for the local governments. This is part of the outcome of the numerous amendments made to the 1999 Constitution, which has been in use since the current democratic dispensation.
After months of debate, both chambers of the NASS – Senate and House of Representatives – on Tuesday, October 21, through a conference committee, harmonised versions of the amendments into the constitution carried out by each of them last month. Amended sections 65 and 106 of the 1999 Constitution was ratified by NASS, paving the way for independent candidacy in future elections, while Section 124 was also amended to grant full financial and administrative autonomy to all the 774 local council authorities across the country. By implication, the local governments would now enjoy a full third-tier government status without unnecessary interference from the state governments.
Not yet uhuru
The snag, however, is that it is not yet celebration time for the councils, as at least two-third of the state assemblies in the 36 states of the federation have to ratify the 22 amendments made by the NASS before they can become part of the constitution and thereby enforceable.
Many analysts believe that it might be difficult for some of the sensitive sections of the amended constitution, such as that of the local government autonomy, to see the light of day. They pointed to the fact that the local government autonomy has, for long, remained a techy issue between the state governors and NASS.
For instance, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo toyed with extending the tenure of the council chairmen in 2012 from its original two years to three years, the governors flared up and headed for the court to get a judgment quashing the move. The Supreme Court, in the judgment, declared that NASS had no power to extend the tenure of the local government chairmen. The pronouncement somehow cemented the power of the governors to control the local government. In the latest development, the governors have also kicked with Jonah Jang-leg Nigerian Governors Forum opposing the autonomy granted to the councils by the NASS.
Critics even argue that governors use the system as an avenue to enrich themselves as well as create job for the ‘boys’. Based on this, they said it would be difficult for them to let go the influence and control they enjoy therein.
Merits of LG autonomy
A former chairman in one of the councils in Lagos State, however, told TheNiche that if the council could be given autonomy, it would be the best thing to happen to the third-tier of government, as the councils would be free to meet the expectations of the voters.
“I support it because the councils will be free to perform and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people who voted its officials into offices,” he said.
At present, the federal government gets 52.68 per cent of all revenue accruing to the federation and the state governments get 26.72 per cent, while the local government councils get 20.6 per cent.
Rather than the local governments get their allocation directly, it is always channelled to them through the state governments, who, instead of releasing it to them, hold on to it and give it out piecemeal. And to ensure full control over the fund accruing to the local governments, the state governments usually establish what they refer to as ‘joint account’ which they control at the detriment of the local government councils.
“Many chairmen only know how much is allocated to their councils on paper; one-quarter of it does not get to them. The governors decide how they spend the money, which is wrong,” a retired civil servant, who is aspiring to be a council chairman, said.
Analysts believe that if indeed the bill scales through, it will perhaps go into record as one of the greatest political wonders in recent time.
On independent candidacy, many observers believe that it is a good idea, given that it has the potential to remove the ‘godfather’ syndrome from the nation’s politics. According to them, every candidate will then be measured on his or her antecedent and personality in the society, thereby throwing overboard the imposition saga.
Demerits of independent candidacy
It is not without demerits. Political pundits argue that it could throw up all kinds of ambitious characters, thereby crowding the political space. Besides, they maintain that given the high rate of illiteracy in Nigeria, the independent candidacy concept could as well become an albatross, as it may end up misleading the illiterate majority to make a wrong or unintended choice of candidates while voting.
It is also argued that the security of independent candidates could also be a thing of serious concern during electioneering because of the brand of politics being played in Nigeria, where victimisation of the opponents, especially by the incumbents, is the order of the day.
To this end, they suggested that for independent candidacy to have meaning, there must be a level-playing ground and that adequate security must be provided for all aspirants.