By Osahon Osahon
Comrade Lazarus Imokhai Adorolo, Edo State President of the National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE), has lamented the crippling effect of the imposition of both the Federal and State Governments by the 1999 Constitution, in the day-to-day running of local government Councils.
Adorolo who stated this on Tuesday in Benin, the State capital, added that the 1999 Constitution is made in a way that exclude the majority of Nigerian citizens from enjoying the dividends of democracy.
He noted that the inherent deficiency in the Constitution (as amended), is the major challenge affecting the smooth running of democracy and national development in the country.
According to him, “The current Constitution operated by Nigeria did not consider certain factors which include the administration of local government councils in Nigeria, except these sections and subsections are amended, the average Nigerians who form the majority at the grassroot will not enjoy the dividend of democracy.
“The fact that the various states were constitutionally-empowered to conduct elections into local government councils is an aberration which now made the 3rd tier of government an appendage.
“Imagine the style of State Governors who conduct elections through their various State Electoral Commissions with the mandate to return their candidates as elected without recourse to the tenet of democracy as they take joy is saying my party won 18- over-18 local government.
“Also imagine if the Federal Government says all Governors should come from the same party then the nation would have been thrown into been a one party state”
“This error was never envisaged when the 1999 Constitution came into force, while the various amendment have also been blinded by partisanship to the effect of correcting the error in the interest of our democracy.”
Adorolo disclosed that NULGE as a body has resolved to crusade for the ammendment of the Constitution to the effect of growing Nigeria’s democracy, thereby making it relevant to the grassroot.
He called on all the State Houses of Assembly to align with their effort whenever the amendment comes before them.
Commenting on Edo IGR policy, Adorolo said the policy has deliberately taken the rights of Local Government revenue collection from the Councils, even as he noted that such policies have crippling effect on the 3rd tier of government and is a direct affront on its existence.
He therefore called for “a reversal of the policy , adding that the Councils have the capacity and manpower to drive their IGR.
