RE: Bill to delist local government system from Constitution
I know you and the leadership of your party are aware of the bill for the removal of the local government as a constitutionally-recognised and funded tier of government in Nigeria is being considered in the House of Representatives.
Unfortunately, the Chief Sponsor of this anti-people’s bill Hon. Solomon Bob is a member of your political party. A party that should stand with people at this time of injustice and so much trouble in the country is now working with our oppressors the APC to frustrated Nigerians the more. This is not just unfortunate, it’s also heartbreaking.
According to its explanatory memorandum, the “Bill seeks to remove Local Government as a tier of government in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and vest their creation, powers and funding exclusively in the state Houses of Assembly in accordance with the principle and practice of true federalism in a culturally diverse and territorially extensive country like Nigeria.”
Sir, does this not sound funny and irresponsible to you? We are complaining that our Governors have pocketed the Local Government System and made the various State Houses of Assembly, pencils in their hands respectively and someone thinks handing to the Houses of Assembly will work.
May I remind you that the little success we record in most, if not all of our rural areas were courtesy of the Local Government System. No doubt that this is the closest government to the people and any attempt to delist the Local Government System is taking Government finally away from the people which will definitely be disastrous.
Many now argue that the Local Government System has been adding little or no value to the society today and this is unlike what we used to have say, over three decades ago counting. The question is; who is to be blamed? Most of these Governors are the architect of the ineffectiveness of the Local Government System and should be held responsible. Most have refused to conduct the Local Government Election thereby allowing the Local Government Areas take full responsibility of their welfare.
Everyone had expected that a bill to strengthen the Local Government System will be introduced which will bear clauses like; 1. Any Local Government Area without an elected Executive shall not received any funds from the Federal Government. 2. INEC will supervise the conduct of the election by the state electoral umpire.
It was so disheartening that a party like the PDP whom many Nigerians look up to correct the monumental failure and collapse of the Nigeria system courtesy of APC are the ones pushing such bill.
There is no doubt that we have lost confidence in APC and can not wait to say goodbye to their eight years misrule of this nation but it is most saddened that PDP by this kind of bill from one of them, is actually happy with the state of the nation.
Mr. Chairman, I know you have been most unhappy alongside your leadership with the way APC has piloted the affairs of this nation but calling Hon. Solomon Bob to order for him to pull down that bill will not just position your party well in the next general election but will go ahead to win the confidence of most Nigerians.
This bill will either make or mar the chances of your party come 2023 as we shall hold the PDP responsible for the forthcoming strike of NULGA.
All we want is the stregthening of the Local Government System and not it’s delisting.
As an opposition, you are meant to stand with the people and not with our oppressors.
NIGERIA MUST BE BETTER… THIS IS MY PRAYER.
BEING AN OPEN LETTER TO THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACTIC PARTY (PDP)
Kenkwo Kesaandu Kingsley (KKK)
Ihitte/Uboma State Constituency, Imo State.
22nd April, 2021
