THE Senate says it was fully behind the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy.
It also assured that it would work with the House of Representatives to ensure alterations to the relevant provisions of the Constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in the country.
The Upper Chamber asked all the states and local governments to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment on the disbursement and utilisation of funds to the third tier of government.
Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to prayers by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North.
After the closed-door session that started at 12.46 and ended at 2.08 pm. Jibrin came up with two prayers.
The first prayer was seconded by Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central and the second, by the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno North.
Jibrin said: “Based on the deliberation made by this August Senate, and it just concluded its session, I stand to move on behalf of this Senate for the approval of two prayers in respect of the motion brought by Senator Tony Nwoye, thereby discarding the earlier prayers in the motion as brought by him. The two prayers are as follows.
“1: That all states and local governments fully comply with the recent Supreme Court judgment on the disbursement and utilization of force according to all local governments in Nigeria.
”2: That the Senate ensures alterations to the relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.’
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said: “The Supreme Court has said the money should go directly to the accounts of the government in the country. And so we have deliberated on it. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the final court of the land.
“In other words, the Nigerian Senate stands strongly behind the Supreme Court’s position on its efforts, through judicial pronouncement, to sanitize the administration of local governments in the country and stop further abuse of local government funds. So we stand strongly behind the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“In addition to that, we have looked at the motion and we agreed that some of the prayers in the motion are such that could conflict with existing regulations, including the constitution. And accordingly, I will invite the Deputy Senate President to present the prayers that we jointly agree upon that should go out there so that the press will be well guided and nobody will go and say the Senate said this or said that. ”We believe strongly that if there is any legacy this administration will leave behind, including the 10th Senate, it is the legacy of sanitizing the local governments.
“We will ensure that local government funds are well utilized for the benefit of the rural people and at the same time, local governments are allowed to function and function well. That will also in due course include their elections.”
Meanwhile, confusion yesterday trailed the debate on local government autonomy in the Senate, as the chamber was later forced into a closed-door session.
Trouble started soon after Senator Tony Nwoye, LP Anambra North, came up with a point of Order which was sustained by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Nwoye, who came through orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, moved a motion on alleged moves by some state governments to circumvent the implementation of the judgement of the Supreme Court through counter-laws from their respective state Houses of Assembly.
As he was still speaking in the hallowed chamber, Nwoye told the Senate that nine other senators were co-sponsors of the motion.
He specifically alleged that some governors were already using their Houses of Assembly to enact laws that would mandate respective local government councils in their states to remit monies into the state / local government joint account, which the Supreme Court ruled against.
Immediately he rounded off his presentation containing six prayers for enforcement of the judgement and seconded by Senator Osita Izunaso, APC Imo West, his colleague, Senator Adamu Aliero, PDP Kebbi Central, raised a constitutional point of order for stoppage of debate on the motion.
Vanguard
