₦airaland Forum

doggedfighter:
Onunuga, find shame.
Preferably in your spare time !
[b]Obiphobia is rea[/b]l.

While true, if Obi did indeed violate the Constitution while he served as governor of Anambra State, he would do well to submit to this and answer for it.

I think it would be a good way for him to prove he does indeed wish the Nigerian people well, and maybe serve as the spark to wake Nigerians up from this 25-year-long coma they have been in.

Kani101:
■ Against the backdrop of misleading information, [b]Governor Otti says his government has not received any dime from the Federal Government to implement 35,000 Naira wage award for workers in the State but promised to look into the wage award demand of Abia Workers. [/b]
Governor Otti stated this during a meeting he held with the leadership of the organized labour in the State. He disclosed that his government will create the Ministry of Labour and Productivity as his government is poised to make minimum changes to the structure of government.
According to him, the new Ministry will have its Commissioner from the Labour fold.

Nonsense! What has the Federal to do with the payment of the salary of State workers? See fraudulent statement abeg!

talkreal:
∆ I fully support full autonomy for local Governments but the residual list of the constitution should be more enriched in order clarify clear cut functions both the states and the local governments like that of the federal and state's, there should be proper elections at the various Local Governments level .
∆ I don't think it make more sense for the president (federal government) to withhold defaulting state LGA allocations completely, what will happen to the workers at the local governments level? Again it make the president to be more powerful.

What exactly is full autonomy in the Nigerian case? According to the Constitution, the States are under the Federal. Does full autonomy in that case mean that the States should be considered to exist at the same level as the Federal in terms of power and authority?

2. No tier of government has right or authority to withhold allocations from any other tier. It is actually unconstitutional for allocations to be withheld in any case.

SmartPolician:
■ Stop quoting people if you have nothing reasonable to contribute to a debate. If you say he is wrong, you explain how so. This is common sense.

I just listened to the man repeating some of what OP highlighted. He is wrong! The statement that having the FG pay directly to the LG does not repeal Section 162 of the Constitution is false. Subsections 4,5,6,7, and 8 of Section 162 of the Constitution would be directly impacted should the FG go ahead to pay the LGs directly.

Second, if you carefully read section 162 of the Constitution yourself, you will find that the State's claim that it merely takes a commission from those accounts violates the Consitution— particularly Section 162 — which does not grant the state any power to dip into or remove funds deposited into the account. The State is merely to maintain the accounts by any means it has to without in fact dipping into the account itself. The power to decide what LGs get and what amounts from the accounts belongs, not to the LGs or the State Government, but to the National and State House of Assembly.

Third, as for what the professor said of elections at the state level, using the same logic, should we call for INEC to be removed from the FG since INEC cannot independently call for a Federal election without the say of the FG? Of course not!

Nigerians need to be more intelligent in analyzing issues and coming up with solutions. Trying to chop down the very foundation of the democracy itself in a bid to solve a program of illegality is a stewpid way to go about resolving issues.

SmartPolician:
These were the views of Professor Chidi Odinkalu. After watching him explain this fact on Channels TV days ago, I knew it wasn't an Uhuru yet. It's a long walk to freedom.

He is wrong! Learn your own Constitution so you can easily spot the issues created by these people you listen to.

Validated:
■ There has been a lot of buzz about LGA autonomy as if it will change anything. The LGA Chairmen are all selected by the State Governors. Until State Independent Electoral Commissions are scrapped, there will be no autonomy. As long as State governors select LGA chairmen in the name of LG elections, nothing has changed..
■ By the way, why is the Supreme Court silent on the LCDAs?
■ Anyway, I can imagine that this is the only achievement by the Tinubu government in the last 1 year plus of monumental disaster. Having plunged the economy into an abysmal state, a Supreme Court Judgement is Worth celebrating in the midst of significant and unprecedented failure.

1. Should we equally scrap INEC because the INEC President is selected by the Federal Government? Abeg make una dey reason the main things wey una dey request abeg! That SIEC is at the state level is no reason why SIEC should not be held accountable for

2. Probably because Tinubu was the first one to use LCDAs, and this was while he was governor of Lagos State.

3. This is no bloody achievement. Mind you, if your FG were to end up directly depositing money to the LGs, it would be directly contravening subsections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Section 162 in the Constitution. That should raise numerous red flags as it is an attempt to effectively overturn the very Constitution on which Nigeria was founded.

It is never a good idea to use illegal tactics in resolving another illegal act.
● These Governors directly violated the Constitution and stole from a purse they were not authorized by the Constitution to dip into.
● Governors withholding LG funds they have no right to touch or hold is illegal since the decision for the disbursement of funds to LGs is to be made by the National Assembly and the State Assembly.

Calling for their impeachment and trial is a better resolution to this issue than making a joke out of the very Constitution on which the Nation is founded.

edungene7:
A confused and completely useless government same committee was setup for minimum wage and 1 billion naira was allocated till today nothing meaningful was gotten from that committee now another one APC shall never end well

Just imagine the level of waste.

Kukutenla:
■ Well, that's how it is. If the FG transfers LG funds directly to them, 162(6) is as dead as a dodo

Actually, you mean instead that subsections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of section 162 are all dead.

bummyla:
Jos Again! Plateau State indigenes, when you are tired of all these misfortunes, you know what to do
Few years ago, I went for an evening service at TPH and the pastor taught on Terrestrial Spirits.
And he used Jos Plateau State as one of his example of “….. While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.” Matthew 13:25
Since 2021 Plateau State has known no peace till date, but before then Jos was the most peaceful city in Nigeria. Most NTA Soap Operas were shot in Jos. While the town slept the enemy creeped in. Now 17 dead, 120 trapped in Plateau school building collapse. 4 siblings dead, when the parent heard of it, both dead of shock. A whole family cleared! Plateau State indigenes, when you are tired of all these misfortune, you know what to do https://bummylabackup./

Please wake the Bleep up from this nonsense you are high on. The building collapses likely because of shoddy construction practices. Call for a thorough investigation, find out, and punish those responsible or the killings. Do not come online to spew jargons that hold no real meaning at all.

madridguy:
Set up committee to loot our money again? Is FG not the cause of the severe hunger in the first place ?

Every problem na committee naw!

fuckingAyaya:
some miscreants here will still disagree

Na committee una go chop tire for this country!

kkins25:
■ Yes.. I'm not disputing that. I'm saying, it's not possible they have been operating on ground as an LGBTQ community even though their mandate says so. The Kano folks say they know it to be a woman support stuff..
■ If you ask me, somebody is using LGBTQ to chop money.

Those who use the clinic told you this or those who simply want to project their hatred against the LGBTQ told you this?

2. If you watched the particular video made of the man who was eventually arrested, you would probably not think so at all.

MasterTeeUSA:
which is why FG must post...cost all Nigerians act as if FG collects and spends 100% allocation. We need to keep doing this until the masses become sane.

I don't know... all I see are a people who would rather bury their heads in the sand than fight for their own rights. And yes, Nigerians have rights but rights are not given out by candy, they are earned, just as the Kenyans today are doing to earn theirs.

Kukutenla:
You answered the question yourself!!
The SC summarily deleted 162(6) of the Constitution. Thus, the gov are under no obligation to obey it. Give the LGs their measly 22% while the states pocket the igr. It's a simple stuff

For the umpteenth time, the Supreme Court which instead reasserted the Constitution DID NOT do any of what you claim. The job of the Supreme Court is to UPHOLD the Constitution, not rewrite it or throw out any part of it that does not agree with its opinion.

Section 162(6) of the Constitution remains intact and should not be Deleted by the Supreme Court.

MasterTeeUSA:
■ They may or they may not...but now the FG can post all 774 LGAs and their allocations...which will make people question why there are still bad roads, this and that and LGAs cannot say, we give the funds to the Govs every month.... no one will buy that. We just need the FG to post it every month. Change will come

Huh? That is not the FG's job at all. I mean why would the FG leave that which it is required to do, to focus on that which it is not even to bother with?

As for access to allocations, clearly, it has to already exist, only that Nigerians don't bother at all to check or look up these things. Why? Because they prefer to exist as Zombies in their own democracy.

MasterTeeUSA:
maybe initially...once FG starts posting what each LGAs collect monthly...people will start demanding how the money is spent.

Are you saying the people aren't aware of how much is allocated monthly to their Local Government by the LG at all? The people don't know how much IGR is paid to each Local government by the State each month?

NothingDoMe:
Yes, note that the state house of assembly has the oversight to prescribe functions to the local government. People screaming that they are now independent and can rebel against the State are just clowning around.

All the Supreme Court did here was reassert the Constitution on this issue. I don't understand why Nigerians are busy celebrating or pretending things have changed. So long as the people refuse to call their governors out and at least threaten them with impeachment, nothing will change both at the State, and Local levels even with this ruling.

Kukutenla:
■ How can a procedure defined by the Constitution be deleted by a ruling?
■ Read between the lines. The NGF chair is telling you their burden has been relieved. What do you think he means by that?
■ Put on your thinking caps and stop behaving like those confused, shallow youths who are allocating tears to governors just to suit their fantasies

1. You claimed this ruling deleted the account, an idea that directly contravenes the Constitution which instead insists the account in question — the State Joint Local Government account — must be maintained by the State.

(6) Each State shall maintain a special account to be called "State Joint Local Government Account" into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.
More: https://jurist.ng/constitution/sec-162

2. I would rather you focus first and foremost on what the Constitution in fact says on this issue to understand how these Governors are merely trying to deceive you a lot with the same old nonsense.

The only burdens I see placed on the Governors by Section 162 of the Constitution are
● Section 162(6) - Maintainance of a special account to be called "State Joint Local Government Account" into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and the Government of the State.
● Section 162(7) - Payment to Local Government Councils in its area of jurisdiction such proportion of its total revenue on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

So, exactly which of the above "burdens" is your NGF chair telling you has been lifted off of him and his colleagues? The Supreme Court did not strike out any of the above sections, so what exactly does he mean? You would need to get that detail from him.

3. Please consider taking your very same advice here before you continue abeg!

NothingDoMe:
Medical. Education. Agriculture. Infrastructure. Trades. Developing natural resources as outlined in the 4th schedule.

I see where it is stated, and given what is stated, I don't see why a Local government council should not be expected to do all of this if it is truly committed to the people.

NothingDoMe:
I nor dey do research for you. Check the constitution. If you nor see am, come show me wetin you see. Good morning kobo.

I have to ask you since neither Section 7 nor Section 8 which define the office of Local Government, do not specify this is supposed to do like 80% of everything that needs to be done. that you claim.

NothingDoMe:
This is confusing. I thought the LG is being funded to take up responsibility? Lol. From the 1999 constitution it appears the local government is supposed to do like 80% of everything that needs to be done.
Nigerians will never learn. 😎

What part of the Constitution did you get that from, please?

Zooposki:
■Yeah, the governors were not violating the constitution when they were dipping their dirty, rotten hands in the funds meant for the local government.

They clearly were. So, my question is why are Nigerians calling on the constitution to be bastardized as a way of resolving the problem; why not directly demand the governors implicated be impeached and then sued for the crimes committed instead? They are well in their right to demand the governors be impeached for these acts which take money away from them at the LG level, the lowest level of government. So why are the people instead banding together with politicians to impose ideas that further contravene the Constitution?

danigbo:
NEXT IS THAT INEC SHOULD CONDUCT THE ELECTRONS NOT THE STATES !

Nonsense! The more you people demand the constitution be circumvented, the more you provide free reign to the thieves in power. Call instead for their impeachment and be done with this nonsense!

MT:
■ Why will traditional rulers take 5% of the allocation? On what basis and for what? The Governors are not happy. They will just abandon their responsibilities and force the local govt to take them up while stealing the money.

Why do the people in the affected local governments allow there governors to get away with these things though? That is the burning question.

Kukutenla:
■ That account was just deleted with the SC judgement. Read

How can an account that is defined in the Constitution be deleted by a ruling? Are you people serious at all?

Kukutenla:
I hope all those blind fools are reading now
Most Nigerians are sentimental and intellectually fickle. They lack the ability of mental rigor. They just jump on bandwagon without independent and critical thinking. The govs that they all claimed are the biggest casualties are now rejoicing more than them.
When I said the LGs will be cut off from the IGR of states they were insulting me. Where's that neophyte loswhite now

What you said makes no sense though! That statement in bold obviously violates the Constitution - Section 162 - as well.

(5) The amount standing to the credit of Local Government Councils in the Federation Account shall also be allocated to the State for the benefit of their Local Government Councils on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.
(6) Each State shall maintain a special account to be called "State Joint Local Government Account" into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.
(7) Each State shall pay to Local Government Councils in its area of jurisdiction such proportion of its total revenue on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.
( The amount standing to the credit of Local Government Councils of a State shall be distributed among the Local Government Councils of that State on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of the State.
More: https://jurist.ng/constitution/sec-162

The Governors are to pay a portion of IGR into the LG account but the State as well as the Federal have no permission to dip into the money in that account for any reason.

commoditiesnig:
■ I tell you.. Its huge victory for democracy.

How can it be a victory for democracy when the Supreme Court merely reasserted, as it did during the Buhari regime, the Constitution, highlighting the unconstitutional conduct of state governors who dip their hands in the LG account?

I don't understand you people. The Constitution is clear on the officers to decide on how the money in the LG accounts should be distributed — the National assembly and state assemblies are involved; the Governor has no say or authority at all in this. Your governors are guilty of violating the very Constitution on which the country and states and local governments are founded. Why do you not react by suing them? Why do you not react by calling for their immediate impeachment? Why do you not react at all? This ruling by the Supreme Court will not cause anything to happen because, for something to, the people have to step forward and demand it.

Melagros:
■ I know, but the lawyer to the governors forum after the landmark judgment said that the forum will go and study the judgement and come forth with a new solution/way forward

Pay attention to what your constitution says which is in fact what the Supreme court merely reasserted.
All governors implicated should be impeached and put in jail abeg!

1stHooligan:
■ It's all about control

Control? So long as it contravenes the constitution, it is unlawful and someone should be punished for it.

gtown:
Local government autonomy is half achieved. The state independent electoral commission must be proscribed so that the independent national electoral commission assumes the conduct of election into electoral positions at the local level too. If this is done, then we can say the local governments are autonomous and third-tier governments in Nigeria.

Don't be deceived. The Supreme Court said the same thing during the last administration, and all it did was reassert the Constitution which clearly states that the account belongs to the LGs and not the Government. The distribution of the money to the various LGs are determined by decisions at the National and State assemblies. The Governors are not meant to access the account or even have a say in how it should be distributed.

James Ibori and every other Governor who dipped their hands into the Local Government account stole money that they had no authorization whatsoever to touch and that is a crime against the people. It shouldn't be the president suing the governors but the electorates.

Melagros:
COMRADES, I don't think Nigerian governors will obey this order, they will definitely come up with a strategy to continue with the old tactics

Stop saying these things abeg! All the Supreme Court has done, something it did back during the time of Buhari, and again this time as well, is reassert the Constitution which clearly states that the account in question belongs to the LGs and as such Governors have no permission to access for any reason.

Essentially, all of your governors who have ever dipped their hands into the LG accounts did so in violation of the constitution — they stole from the Nigerian people. They are criminals and are best impeached and made to serve time for such violations by the electorates.

Codes151:
He want feel relevant for sth everyone advocated for

How can you "advocate" for something that is clearly stated in your Constitution though? No be mumu be that?