The Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, has absolved President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly of blame in the slow or near-non-implementation of the Supreme Court judgment granting local governments financial autonomy.
Karumi argued that since the apex court had made a pronouncement on the issue, the National Assembly had business coming up with legislation on its implementation.
‘’Some people are not interested in this local government autonomy,” the Senator said
‘’Some people are not interested in this local government autonomy,” the Senator said in Lokoja, Kogi State, while giving account of his stewardship in the last two years in the 10th Senate.
He, therefore, challenged Nigerians to demand the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict ‘’because if we keep quiet, that autonomy will not stand.’’
The federal lawmaker argued that the President had demonstrated his administration’s ‘’commitment and support for a functional local government system in the country’’ by taking the matter to the apex court through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Karumi also pointed that ‘’It’s not for the National Assembly alone but for the good of every Nigerian, therefore, it is a fight for all of us.
“And for us in the National Assembly, we are fully in support of local government autonomy and the steps so far taken to restore proper governance at the local level in Nigeria.’’
He added: “The provisions of Section 235 of the 1999 Constitution (Section 7, Part 1) deal with the finality of determinations by the Supreme Court.
“It states that no appeal can be made to any other body or person from a decision of the Supreme Court, except for the powers of the President or a state governor regarding the prerogative of mercy.
“In essence, this section establishes the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of legal disputes within the country, with its decisions being binding and unappealable.
“As a means of solving local government problems, the President wants autonomy for local government. If the Federal Government of Nigeria doesn’t want local government autonomy, it wouldn’t have instituted the case in the first place.’’
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
