The Senate has asked the federal government to stop the statutory allocation of funds to local government councils whose chairpersons were not democratically elected.

The resolution followed a motion by the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, during the plenary on Friday.

Mr Moro, the senator representing Benue South under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), complained that some state governors dissolved elected local government officials and replaced them with caretaker committees.

The senator specifically identified Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, as one of the Nigerian governors running affairs of local governments with caretaker committees.

He said the development was against the constitutional provision of the local government system.

Mr Moro therefore urged members of the upper chamber to condemn the use of caretaker chairpersons as administrators of local governments.

The majority of the senators supported the motion when it was put to debate.

Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) argued that the state governors do not have political power to dissolve elected local government officials and replace them with caretaker committees.

Mr Oshiomole, a former governor of Edo State, recounted his experience when he refused to dissolve elected local government officials when he was a governor.

He stated that about 16 state governors are currently running their LGAs with caretaker committees.

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, also supported the motion.

Mr Ndume, the senator representing Borno South and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), condemned the use of caretaker chairpersons as administrators of local government councils.

He urged the Senate to encourage the Federal Ministry of Finance to stop the release of funds to local government areas run by caretaker committees.

Abdulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo North) called for the amendment of the Electoral Act to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct local government elections.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, advocated for the establishment of the National Electoral Commission for Local Government to stop state governors from influencing LG elections.

Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, put the motion to vote and the senators voted overwhelmingly in its support.

He, thereafter, directed the Clerk of the Senate to communicate the resolution to the appropriate authorities.

Despite the Senate resolution, however, the federal government is expected to continue to release statutory allocations to the 774 local governments across Nigeria based on constitutional provisions.

Source:
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/648217-senate-asks-fg-to-stop-allocation-of-funds-to-lgs-run-by-caretaker-committees.html

What do you expect when majority of the lawmakers are either ex governors or people they sponsored to power

Hmmm. It's a double edged sword. It was to spread development that some people demanded to have their own Local Government Areas. If they now have their LG and you deny them funding then you are creating the original problem that caused the agitation.

I would have loved the Senate to focus on other issues that are exclusive to the Federal Government like insisting that oil producing communities directly recieve the oil derivation fund instead of crediting the states.

LGAs should be managed by states because in reality they are. Federal Government has enough on its plates already and Senate can not oversea LGAs outside the FCT.

Nigerian form of democracy is just a conduit pipe being used to waste the common wealth of the people. The Senate is acting because they are not one of the Governors in question. Moreover, don't be surprised to hear a contrary information tomorrow.

Despite the Senate resolution, however, the federal government is expected to continue to release statutory allocations to the 774 local governments across Nigeria based on constitutional provisions.

• Why not pass a law barring the FG from Allocating cash if you sure its legal? There seems to be bipartisan support. Resolutions can be ignored and forgotten but laws won't be.

• Why not make a Senate resolution asking the Various state assemblies to pass laws on local election? There's nothing stopping them constitutionally from doing so. Most Nigerians just use the governor as the scapegoat because they don't care to hold their state assemblies' responsible.

• If care taken committee are illegal make it an act of treason to subvert constitutionally authority. After you arrest a few of the governors puppets they will get the message. The reason they don't quit is because there's consequences.

The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall, subject to section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, nance and functions of such councils.

1999 Constitution SEC 7-1