2025 LG elections will not include Lagos LCDAs, says Assembly

The Lagos State House of Assembly has announced that local government elections will not be conducted in the state’s 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in 2025.

Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development, Okanlawon Sanni, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

Sanni, representing Kosofe Constituency II, explained that the elections would only extend to the 37 LCDAs if they gain constitutional recognition through an amendment by the National Assembly.

This follows a recent Supreme Court judgment affirming financial and administrative autonomy for the nation’s 774 constitutionally recognised local governments, a decision Lagos is required to honour. As a result, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) will only hold chairmanship elections in the state’s 20 constitutionally recognised Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2025.

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He said the Assembly is currently working on a new Local Government Administration Bill, repealing the 2016 Local Government law, to align with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“The governor will appoint mayors for each LCDA, pending Assembly confirmation. The LCDAs will function under the jurisdiction of the recognised 20 LGAs, which will provide funding,” Sanni said, adding that the goal is to ensure the LGAs and LCDAs cooperate without conflict over resources.

The LCDAs will continue to perform duties assigned by the LGAs, along with responsibilities outlined by the Assembly or governor. They will also have the authority to employ staff as necessary for development projects. Salaries, allowances, and other essential local service payments will be prioritised as a first-line charge on LGA funds, he added.

Sanni clarified that the Assembly has no intention of scrapping the LCDAs, which have significantly contributed to grassroots development. However, he emphasised the need for the National Assembly to officially recognise the LCDAs, given Lagos’s population size and economic significance.