States reject Local Government autonomy

A bill seeking financial and legislative autonomy for local governments has been rejected by state houses of assembly. 

This was announced on Tuesday, January 24, by the national assembly. It was revealed that 35 constitution amendment bills have been passed by state assemblies.

Opeyemi Bamidele, a federal lawmaker from Ekiti who presented the report on the bills, said 35 bills have been considered by 27 state houses of assembly. 

States which have passed a resolution on the bills include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, and Yobe.

Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara state houses of assemblies are yet to send their reports on the bills and they’ve been asked to forward their resolutions.

The national assembly’s clerk has been asked to transmit 35 constitution amendment bills passed by state assemblies to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent. 

This resolution was reached following the adoption of a motion by Deputy Senate President, y Ovie Omo-Agege and 66 other lawmakers.