Members of the House of Representatives and their counterparts at the state Houses of Assembly on Wednesday reached compromise to liberate state legislative arm and local governments from the caprices of state governors.
The lawmakers, who visited Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, promised to endorse financial autonomy for state assemblies and local governments during the consideration of the recommendations of the fifth Constitution amendment initiated by the federal lawmakers.
Abdulmumin Kamba, chairman of conference of speakers of parliament, who led the delegation, expressed the readiness of the state lawmakers to endorse financial autonomy to the states assemblies and local government councils.
He pledged the commitment of the state assemblies to expeditiously pass any constitution amendment bill that would be forwarded to them by the National Assembly.
In his remarks, Dogara lamented the hijacking of funds meant for local government councils by state governors over the years was responsible for the stifled growth of democracy in Nigeria.
The speaker, who also lamented that the recommendations of the fourth Constitutional amendment exercise was vetoed by former president, Goodluck Jonathan, however assured that the House won’t start work on the bill denovo.
He said State Assemblies in the sixth assembly also rejected clauses granting them autonomy, but appealed to them to summon courage because “if they had the courage to vote yes by now we will not be here on it.
“Without courage and sacrifice there cannot be leadership. Sometime you need to take decisions that are not popular with some power blocs but you must do it as a leader.
“If our motivation is to always do right then we must do things that will protect our democracy and our people. The Federal government cannot reach out to all the local levels to deliver dividend of democracy to them,” Dogara urged.
