www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/36-govs-fight-autonomy-lgs/



By By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—IN a rare show of solidarity,
the two factions of the Nigeria
Governors Forum, NGF, temporarily put
aside their year-long differences,
yesterday, to fight against the National
Assembly proposal granting autonomy
to the country’s local governments.
The two factions, led by Governor
Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and
Jonah Jang of Plateau State, in separate
reactions said the autonomy proposal for
the local government system was out of
sync with the operation of a federal
system.

The two houses of the National
Assembly had adopted the proposal for
autonomy for the local governments as
the third tier of government in the
federation. The move which has been
received with joy among some
stakeholders in the local government
system was, however, opposed by the
two factions of the NGF.

The Jang-led faction of the NGF walked
out from the mainstream faction led by
Governor Amaechi after supporters of
Jang disputed the outcome of the
election which returned Amaechi as
chairman of the governors’ association
last year.

Reacting to the decision of the National
Assembly to grant autonomy to the local
governments, the Amaechi-led faction
speaking through its Director-General,
Asishana Okauru, affirmed that the body
would not change its opposition on the
issue of autonomy for local
governments.

* Amaechi’s NGF

Speaking in a telephone interview with
Vanguard, he said: “The NGF does not
support autonomy for local
governments. The governors are against
it, they have said it and still maintain
that they will not support autonomy for
local governments.
“There is no country in the world that
there are three federating units; there
are only two all over the world. Why
should you say that there must be a
third federating unit in Nigeria?”

According to him, chairman of the
forum, Governor Amaechi aside making
a similar call last year, had at a session
with journalists recently said that the
governors would continue to push
against granting autonomy for the 774
local governments in the country.

* Jang-led NGF

In an unusual concord with the
Amaechi-led forum, the Jang-led NGF in
a statement by its secretary, Earl Osaro
Onaiwu, said: “The NGF under the
leadership of Governor Jonah Jang of
Plateau State has differed with the
NASS over the move to amend the
constitution and grant local
governments full administrative and
financial autonomy.”

The governors in the statement accused
some members of the National Assembly
of using the conference committee to
force through an amendment that was
clearly rejected by the Senate during
the constitution amendment debates and
votes.

Onaiwu in the statement quoted the
governors as saying that “it was
improper in an issue of this magnitude
for the conference committee to
overturn the position of a majority in the
upper house.
“The push for local government
autonomy by the National Assembly was
hasty without first considering the
problems of executive recklessness and
ineffective administration at the local
level.”

The governors thus warned that “the
amendment will lead to the hijack of
some local government administrative
structures by a few powerful individuals
without the oversight the state
government currently provides.”
The forum, however, expressed
confidence that the amendment will be
rejected by a majority of the states
houses of assembly.




Picture:
R-L; Governors Martins Elechi,
Godswill Akapbio, Segun Mimiko;
Deputy Governor Kogi, Yomi
Awoniyi, Governors Jonah Jang, T
Orji and Others after their meeting
recently in Abuja. PHOTO; Sinday
Aghaeze

See them.... Thieves, Most especially that Mimiko, he alone is the Governor,the council chairman and the counselor of all the eighteen local govt area of Ondo State for the past five year,why won't he move against council autonomy..... You will soon meet your waterloo.... Shege

This is not really a good news

What do they now want? If the FG now decides to be withholding States allocations the way the States are doing to the LGs, hope the governors won't complain? May God bless Nigeria.

See thieves! Yet they want states' autonomy.
They squander the money meant for LG by not conducting elections as stipulated by law e.g. Oyo state

Assembly of the rogues...

Never spare a thought for nothing except their crooked interests are first taken care of.

Otherwise, why are they now united against LGs autonomy inspite of their dis-unity?

polithiefians

like seriously assemblies of rogue... www..com

SMH

They may be concerned about mismanagement of funds by the LG's but they (governors) too are guilty of same.

Why won't they kick against it? As long as they want to continue making LG chairmen their puppets and boys for election campaign. In such a country where the rule of law is the law of the ruler, they will have their way.
But when will these old folks stop this yeye NGF umbrella rubbish especially that sick jonah jang. Okay after 2015 elections I guess,una do well !!!

Space Booked...


Goes Back to bed.

Hmm..l understand where the governors are coming from, it is their conduit pipe and where they "settle" their loyalists, Whoever thinks money is not flowing at the local government level must have just crawled out of a cave!

Make we flog politicians koboko, dem too dey do us Ojoro...

Hmmmmmm......


Only a thief knows how to catch a thief

Not for sale.
Beware

Nigeria we hail thee. Two NGF's.

Well done.
Given them autonomy will simply improve corruption in the creeks.
Nigeria is not ripe yet. This is sad because we are even over 50.

Even T.A Orji is among the governors rejecting autonomy for LG? Chai I don die

Can someone pls elaborate more wat is local govt autonomy?

hmm

hmmm....

Not in support of autonomy for LG Councils, its gonna breed Impunity that'll touch the masses to the lowest level....
It would have made a lotta sense in saner climes though,but I know my countrymen.

Jang Led and Ameachi Led, of what benefit is NGF to ordinary citizen ?

If autonomy is not available for now,local government should just switch to manualtonomy...I think that will be better idea.Chaii! Naija with their pako grammars.I hail una o!

Self-centred people... The autonomy must stand.

bad news

www.Proudlywapaz.tk

Then why do we have LG. They are just too greedy with power. Shai God of democracy will not forgive tthe governors

M

Bcoz they know that stealing the money is a better option.

If the LGs have autonomy, there will be gross abuse. However, the position of these governors is not really about preventing the abuse, but being able to continue to control and use the funds of the LGs.

lol. with the local goverment chairman's autonomy, the power of the governor is severely watered down.governors generally wield more power on the states than mr president even does on the country. for the president, his lawmakers are usually reasonably spread among different political parties while the governor's house of assembly complex is located inside of the pocket of his agbada.