The Senate has expressed full support for the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy.
It also pledged to collaborate with the House of Representatives to amend the Constitution, ensuring full autonomy for local governments as the third tier of government.
Additionally, the Senate has urged all states and local governments to comply fully with the Supreme Court’s judgment regarding the allocation and utilization of funds for the councils.
Resolutions of the Senate were a sequel to prayers by Deputy President Barau Jibrin ( APC, Kano North.)
According to Persecondnews, confusion over the debate on local government autonomy forced lawmakers into a closed-door session during yesterday’s unexpected turn in the Senate debate.
The closed-door session began at 12.46 and concluded at 2.08 pm. Jibrin came up with two prayers.
The first prayer was seconded by Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) and the second by the Senate Whip, Sen. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North.)
Jibrin said: “Based on the deliberation made by this August Senate, and it just concluded its session, I stand to move on behalf of this Senate for the approval of two prayers in respect of the motion brought by Sen. Tony Nwoye, thereby discarding the earlier prayers in the motion as brought by him. The two prayers are as follows:.
“1: That all states and local governments fully comply with the recent Supreme Court judgment on the disbursement and utilization of force according to all local governments in Nigeria.
“2: That the Senate ensures alterations to the relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.’
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, said: “The Supreme Court has said the money should go directly to the accounts of the government in the country. And so we have deliberated on it. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the final court of the land.
“In other words, the Nigerian Senate stands strongly behind the Supreme Court’s position on its efforts, through judicial pronouncement, to sanitize the administration of local governments in the country and stop further abuse of local government funds. So we stand strongly behind the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“In addition to that, we have looked at the motion, and we agreed that some of the prayers in the motion are such that they could conflict with existing regulations, including the constitution.
“And accordingly, I will invite the Deputy Senate President to present the prayers that we jointly agree upon that should go out there so that the press will be well guided and nobody will go and say the Senate said this or said that.
“We believe strongly that if there is any legacy this administration will leave behind, including the 10th Senate, it is the legacy of sanitizing the local governments.
“We will ensure that local government funds are well utilized for the benefit of the rural people, and at the same time, local governments are allowed to function and function well. That will also, in due course, include their elections.”
After Sen. Barau moved the first prayer, Akpabio said: “He has moved prayer one in respect of the earlier discussed motion that all states and local governments should immediately comply with the recently pronounced judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Any seconder?.
“Distinguished colleagues, the motion has been proposed in respect of the earlier discussed motion by the deputy senate president, prayer one saying all states and all tiers of government in the federation should immediately comply with the recently pronounced judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, particularly relating to local government accounts.
”Then the funds of the local government go directly to the local government for its utilization to improve the lot of Nigerians. And this prayer has been seconded by Sen. Ningi.”
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