The gradual death of the local government system (4), By Eric Teniola
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From last week, this is the concluding part of the narrative pertaining to some ambiguities in the 1999 Constitution which must be amended so as to save the local government from total collapse
THE need to reform the local government has been on the table for some time. Since 1976, the central government has been most concerned about the fate of local government in Nigeria. On August 19, 1976, General Olusegun Obasanjo as the military ruler by then, set up a 10-man panel under the leadership of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki (December 31, 1923- November 14, 2016), to look into the affairs of the local government with the sole aim of improving the local government system in the country.Â
On May 7, 1984, Major General Muhammadu Buhari set up another committee on local government headed by the same Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki. All his life, Alhaji Dasuki has been involved in the local government system.
Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki had his education at the Dogondaji Elementary School, Sokoto Middle School, Kaduna College, University of Oxford, England; member, Sokoto Native Authority, 1943-1945; cashier and clerk, Gaskiya Corporation, 1945-1953; administrative assistant, Northern Nigerian Government, 1953-1956; assistant administrative officer, Pankshin, Plateau Province, 1956-1957; deputy secretary, Northern Nigeria Executive Council, 1957-1958; diplomatic officer, Nigerian Embassy, Bonn, 1958-1960; head of Chancery and first secretary, Nigerian Embassy, Khartoum, 1960-1961; justice of the peace, Plateau Province, 1962; permanent secretary, Northern Nigerian Ministry of Local Government, 1962-1965; Permanent Secretary, Northern Nigerian Ministry of Trade and Industry, 1965-1968; chairman, Northern Nigerian Marketing Board, 1966-1969; chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation, 1969-1977; appointed director, United Arewa Stores, 1969; also director, Gusau Oil Mills Ltd. 1969; secretary general, Jama’atau Nasril Islam, 1971; director, Zamfara Textiles Industries, 1971; chairman, North-West Trade Development Company, 1972; chairman (also co-founder), Bank of Credit and Commerce International, BCCI, 1979-1989; chairman, Northern Nigerian Society for the Blind; and member, Board of Governors, Institute of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University. His traditional title is Baraden Sokoto, also Sultan of Sokoto, November 1988 enthroned as the 18th Sultan of Sokoto.
The report was submitted in September 1984 but the white paper was not issued until General Buhari was overthrown in 1985. On May 11, 1986, General Ibrahim Babangida(81) approved the local government reforms as recommended by the Ibrahim Dasuki panel on local government councils. Those recommendations were far-reaching I must confess. That was the situation until Justice Nikki Tobi-led Constitution Debate Co-ordinating Committee’s recommendations on the ambiguity on local governments formed part of Decree No 24 of May 5, 1999, which was promulgated as the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by General Abdusalam Abubakar (81).
President Olusegun Obasanjo on June 23, 2003 set up another panel to review the local government system. The committee was headed by the then Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Umaru Sanda Ndayako (1937-2003), a competent administrator and chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers and former member of the Constituent Assembly. Other members of the committee were Alhaji Liman Chiroma, John Ochoga, Professor Godwin Odenigwe, Mr. Augustine Udoh-Ekong, Professor Akin Mabogunje, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, Austin Okpara, Mrs. Abieyuwa Garba, Mr. Venatius Ikem and Alhaji I.B. Sali as the Secretary.
All these committees, including the Ahmed Talib Committee, the Oyeyipo Committee and the Dasuki Committee reports, advocated for one thing—direct funding for the local governments. To me the 1999 constitution has been unfair to the local governments. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should urgently act in order to save the local government system from total collapse. Expectedly, he is to convene his maiden meeting of the National Council of States where he will discuss urgent national issues. The local government system should be part of the issues to be discussed at the meeting.
In the interim, Section 7 (1) and (2) of the Constitution should be retained so that State Houses of Assembly have powers to legislate on the creation and other necessary powers of the Local Government Councils in the spirit of true federalism.
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