Kwara assembly passes law to prevent dissolution of elected councils

A bill for a law to amend the Kwara State Local Government (Amendment) Law No. 3 of 2006 has been passed by the House of Assembly.

In the amended law initiated by the Member representing Oke-Ogun, Barr. Kamal Fagbemi, it is now unconstitutional for the governor to unilaterally dissolve democratically elected local government councils in the state.

Speaking after the passage of the amendment bill into law, the Deputy Speaker, Chief Mathew Okedare, who presided over yesterday’s sitting, directed the Clerk of the House, Hajia Halimat Jummai Kperogi, to prepare a clean copy for the governor’s assent, pointing out that the third tier of government was strategic to accelerated socio-economic transformation of the state.

Speaking during the consideration of the general principles of the bill, Barr. Fagbemi had while urging his colleagues to ensure the passage of the bill, said the amendment became imperative in view of the fact that the principal law was in consonance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The lawmaker further averred that Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution guaranteed that local governments shall be governed democratically, stressing that provisions of Section 18 of the State Local Government Law No. 3 of 2006 was not in tandem with the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution.

The legislator equally disclosed that the Supreme Court judgement in respect of dissolution of local government councils by Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State was illegal and unconstitutional, pointing out that the decision of the Supreme Court according to the 1999 Constitution shall be enforced in any part of the federation by all authorities, persons and by courts of subordinate jurisdiction.

Majority of the members said the current arrangement making local government councils appendage of state governments was against the wish of the founding fathers that aimed to make local government administration the third tier of government to fast-track grassroots development in the country.