Autonomy: Abia PDP issues ultimatum for conduct of LGA elections

Against the backdrop of the challenges associated with constitutional amendments, the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the presidency to instruct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set a timeline for local government council elections within three or six months.

The party asked that sole administrators be appointed to oversee council affairs to facilitate a smooth shift towards full autonomy during this current transition period.

The call by the Abia leadership of the PDP followed the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, granting full financial autonomy to local government areas in the country.

It was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Abia Deputy Chairman and Acting Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Abraham Amah.

While lauding the Supreme Court’s judgment, which granted full financial autonomy to local government areas in the country, Abia PDP described the court’s decision as a crucial step towards enhancing good governance at the grassroots level.

It stated, “To further strengthen this autonomy and free local governments from undue political influence, we urge the Presidency to swiftly submit an Executive bill to the National Assembly for a constitutional amendment reflecting the autonomy of local government.

“This proposed constitutional revision should include measures such as dissolving the current Local Government Service Commission and establishing bodies at the local council level to manage employees and guarantee their pension through a well-structured contributory scheme.

“The bill should also support the direct allocation of federal funds to local governments, bypassing the Joint Allocation Account Committee, and ensure governors do not interfere with these funds,” Abia PDP posited.

PDP admonished state governors to respect the Supreme Court’s verdict and support council heads in utilizing allocated funds for the benefit of the people.

The party also appealed to well-meaning Nigerian citizens to champion the cause of local government autonomy, recognizing its immense potential to improve governance and service delivery at the grassroots level.