The breakdown of local government administration into that of the state governments by numerous governors is a negligence for constitutional provisions giving vent to local government. It is likewise an injury to the visualized capability of the third level of government as one nearest to the people at the grassroots. Except if the inconsistency is remedied, the dividend of a vote based system might stay slippery to most of Nigerians.

As far back as 1999 when the democratic dispensation was reset, local government administration across the nation has experienced countless distress in the possession of equitably elected lead representatives. The 1999 Constitution at Section 7(1) ensures the presence of fairly elected local government councils. The Constitution in this way commands the government of each state to conform to relevant resolutions on structure, composition, finance, and function of such councils.

Similarly, Section 7(3) states that it will be the obligation of the local government council to partake in monetary preparation and improvement of the local government areas through a Regulation to be established by the House of Assembly of the State. At the end of the day, the local government area is a development zone for individuals at the grassroots.

The Constitution additionally perceives the requirement for periodic elections at the local government, charging the State Government to guarantee that each individual, who is qualified to be cast a vote, is permitted to take part. Nonetheless, upwards of 17 states have purportedly subbed elective local government administration with caretaker committees in 323 local councils; making it a miserable reality that local government administration in the nation has encountered an immense arrangement in the possession of elected lead representatives, who consider the third level of government to be an expansion of their confidential fiefdom.

After the local government elections that introduced this dispensation in 1998/99, governors elected starting around 1999 have needed to alter periodic elections in councils. They hold sporadic and frequently farce elections and favor caretaker committees by which they force their stooges as administrators. In states where council elections figure out how to hold, alleged state independent election commissions named by governors have been generally frustrating. At such elections, a ruling party feels no misgivings or disgrace to pronounce a 99 percent triumph for itself, leaving opposition parties out in the cold.

In the administration of their funds, councils despise the supposed independence guaranteed for their funds. The Constitution at section 7(6b) accommodates the National Assembly to make arrangements for legal allocation of public income to local councils in the Federation. States too are to make comparable distribution of public incomes to local government councils, being councils' portion of Internally Generated Revenue as well as various taxes.

In all actuality, states have taken over legal allocation to councils and furthermore assumed control over Councils' income generating capabilities. In this manner, the ability to develop has been extorted from councils making them ceaselessly subject to state government.

The ongoing case in Ogun State, where Governor Dapo Abiodun and embattled Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Wale Adedayo are entangled in charge of asset redirection has turned into the exemplary illustration of absence of transparency and accountability in the administration of local governments. It should give some insight to why the third level remains underdeveloped.

The suspended council chair, Adedayo, had blamed the Governor of persistent withholding of statutory allocations from the Federation Account of the Council, which he guaranteed had crippled the developmental activities of the Council.

In a request he addressed to former governor of the state and leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) Aremo Segun Osoba, Adedayo expressed: "Your urgent intervention is sorely needed to convince the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, that the statutory Federal Allocation to Local Governments in Ogun State should be allowed to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution. Since we (Ogun State Local Government Chairmen) got on board in 2021, it has been zero Federal Allocation to each local government. The 10 per cent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, which the Constitution also stipulated should go to the local governments, has not been given since Abiodun got into office." Profound claims!

Although the Ogun State Government has denied redirecting local government assets, there is need, by the by, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to explore the claim meticulously. Curiously, the complainant's fellow council chairmen have, as opposed to cling to safeguard their independence and arrival of legal distributions, went to stoop at the feet of the Governor in a most compliant motion which again speaks volume of the hold by lead representatives on their local governments.

A disgrace too, Adedayo's colleagues in Ijebu East did not make any sense of the executive's performance move to free the Council. Rather than exploiting the request to show fortitude, the Council legislators suspended Adedayo for a three-month period and reeled out a rundown of misdeeds, which he is to reply before he is restored to office.

While monetary violations agencies explore these charges, the councilors activities are not at all aiding the cause of councils, considering that the sluggish state of local governments is dull; and they have in outcome neglected to release even routine obligations assigned to them by the Constitution. The councilors' conduct is modest and lacking person where they were supposed to show boldness. For what reason did they hold on until Adedayo's request against the lead representative before they understood he also had acted inappropriately in regard to the funds of the Council?

From reports coming from different states the nation over, the situation isn't the same as that of Ogun. Lead representatives don't consider local councils to be improvement areas to assist with spreading financial development. The local government stays the piece of administration since it is home to the majority of Nigerians. Lead representatives ought to accordingly regard their oath of office and devotion to the constitution, and permit Councils to flourish.

Purposeful endeavors ought to be made to guarantee that the unavoidably perceived method of local government administration is the norm in all states. This ensures their monetary independence, free, fair and solid credible periodic elections and a stop to the deceitful propensity for utilizing impromptu and appointed caretaker committees to run councils.

Taking into account its significance as the nearest level of government to individuals, it is likewise positive that a high educational qualification, preferably a minimum of Higher National Diploma (HND) or Bachelor’s degree certification ought to be requested of the people who try to deal with councils' undertakings. Local government administration ought not be left for individuals who miss the mark on information and character essential to comprehend and make fitting moves for councils' administration.

In addition, civil society organisations, the media and other accountability bodies ought to consequently focus harder on activities in their separate local government regions.

Formerly, the Ministry of Finance under Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala published allocations to all levels of government for Nigerians to see and track. There ought to be a re-visitation of that time to such an extent that local governments thus will distribute what they procure as well as their expenditures. This will likewise screen councils and distinguish degenerate forerunners in that arm.