By Emmanuel Ado
All things being equal on the 26th May 2018, the good people of Nasarawa State,will head to the polls to elect officials that would run the affairs of the 16 (sixteen)Local Government Councils for the next two years. For the people it has been a long and patient wait to exercise their right,to elect their leaders,four(4) years after the last exercise – precisely March 2014. The hope is that it will translate into quality service delivery for the people,who are yearning for development. Credit must go Umaru Tanko Al- Makura,governor of Nasarawa State, who displayed confounding political pragmatism, which by his actions and words has confirmed his solid democratic credentials. The sudden increase in the tempo of political activities confirms the anxiety of the people who had concluded that the lingering crisis would never be resolved.What this has done is renewed trust in the capacity of politicians to reach deals and resolve issues.
The elections have been stalled for years by the court action brought against the Nasarawa State Government by the former elected chairmen, following the decision of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to reduce their tenure from three(3)years to two(2)years,in the middle of the game. The court action consequently held up the conduct of the election,until the governor, initiated an out of court settlement. Though Al- Makura’s intervention was critical to break the deadlock, equally commendable is the disposition of the former chairmen and the Peoples Democratic Party,to an amicable resolution of the political crisis,which was at the highest court – Supreme Court,before wise counsel prevailed.
Governor Al- Makura,whose victory in 2011 ensured that Muhammadu Buhari survived to fight in 2015, is obviously a good student of John Foster Dulles,one time Secretary of State of the United States. For Dulles , politics of brinkmanship,is “The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war”. In realities the parties were at the verge of war,but thankfully they pulled back in the greater interest of the people of Nasarawa State.Some governors would have conveniently used the court process to delay or put in abeyance the conduct of the election, rather he painstakingly negotiated a political settlement,to what was actually a political problem. Though the details of the out-of-court settlement,hasn’t been disclosed,it obviously is a price worth paying for the entrenchment of democracy.
The importance of the local governments,in the provision of basic amenities and infrastructure can’t be over emphasized and this is the main purpose for the creation of local governments.The ultimate objective is to bring government closer to the people at the grassroots, to accelerate economic development and to fundamentally ensure the participation of the people in the running of their affairs. Being smaller units,the people can hold them accountable. But stark reality hasn’t matched the dreams,principally because of several factors,most especially the lack of capacity and corruption,which have adversely affected its capacity to deliver.
Blame has been heaped on the constitutional framework,the typical case of a bad workman quarreling with his tools.The question is what have the councils done with the latitude that they have? The lack of financial autonomy has been held up as the main reason why most councils haven’t performed,while the stark fact remains that must local councils would have been declared bankrupt,but for the measure of control by the states. The campaign for financial autonomy for the councils on paper is fantastic,sadly the reality calls for “guided development”,until such a time that the operators at that level would have raised their game,by tackling headlong issues of poor funding,corruption, poor service delivery etc.Benue State, is a good example,of the collateral damage that independent Local Government administration have and continue to wreck. In 2010, twelve (12) local council chairmen had embezzled more than 150 million naira,while owing teachers salaries. It was and still the same story in Delta,Kogi,Ogun States. There is no system that is perfect. And there is no doubt that there are issues,but they should first convince Nigerians that they deserve more functions,including autonomy by functioning effectively in the areas that the 1999 constitution has so richly endowed them with powers.The problem with Nigeria is that for every ten steps forward we take,we make twenty backwards.
Umaru Tanko Al – Makura has started fantastically well,but this is just the beginning of a long tedious journey. Al- Makura has discharged the duty imposed on him by Section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution,as amended which guarantees democratically elected governments in Nigeria. He must force the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to perform its assignment. The election must not be a charade like in some states were the opposition failed to win even councilorship seat. It makes the election a sheer waste of time. Elections must be seen to be fair and credible,and it will make it acceptable to the people. And if Al-Makura delivers a credible election he would have left a legacy, a standard by which all those coming behind him would be judged. In the same vein the task before the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission is to deliver a credible election,whose results must be acceptable to the people. The N950 million budgeted for the conduct of elections must count,or it would have been a sheer waste of time and resources. They must resist any self imposed task of “impressing” the governor by declaring the All Progressives Congress grand winner. But if it is the verdict of the people,so be it.
The big question is how can the local governments be made more relevant? The hood doesn’t make the monk. The potentials of the councils in the mobilization of the grassroots,in the provision of basic healthcare, are not in doubt.A big issue has been made about the need for the abolition of the State Joint Local Government Account, as if it is the main reason why they haven’t functioned,when in fact the fundamental issue is the poor quality of leadership. A leadership that lacks capacity and commitment will achieve nothing even with ample resources. The issue should go beyond restoration of financial autonomy to the councils. Key moving forward is ensuring that competent hands are entrusted with the mandate at the various councils. Section 106 of the constitution provides that the minimum qualification for election as chairperson or councillor in a local government shall be post-primary school certificate. Obviously there is the compelling need for a review of that provision on qualifications, Councillors should possess a minimum of an Ordinary National Diploma. In the 21st century an ill educated or poorly educated political office holder is an unmitigated disaster.
The desirability of local governments would continue to be an issue,until the officials at that level win the respect of the people by out performing in the functions that the constitution has generously conferred on them. There are and there would continue to be constitutional issues about local governments in Nigeria,but the conclusions that constitutional amendments will solve the problems would be begging the issue. Certainly some great progress have been made since the evolution of the system in Nigeria and some opportunities have been missed.The new crop of leaders that will emerge in the May local government elections have a duty to convince Nigerians that they can manage the Affairs of the councils,much more better. Like Calvin Coolidge said “what we need is not more Federal Government,but better Local Government”.
The lack of legal framework required to enable local governments operate shouldn’t be a hinderance. Even as appendages of the state government, focused councils can deliver.For now the functions of the councils is whatever the House of Assembly confers on them. They should learn to live with it. Just as the introduction of the State Joint Local Government Account isn’t a death sentence.Any proven case of abuse of the joint account system should be punished as provided for in section 7 (6) (A) 162 (5), (6) (7) and (8) of the 1999 constitution and the local government laws of the State in question.
Lessons obviously must have been learnt on the need to respect laws especially by the law making arm if the government. Impunity is an ill wind,it retards progress,as can be seen in the four years that Nasarawa State couldn’t conduct the council election. The truncation of the tenure of democratically elected councils and replacements with civil servants should be a thing of the past.
