EDITORIAL: A Momentous Decision, An Aftermath And The Fall-Out!

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reinstated itself as a court of policy. Those who are in alignment with the school of jurisprudence based on “A street construction” interpretation of the constitution will of course demur; they have a right to do so, but in a worthy of the great British Rock Band, The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want, But If You Try Hard You Might Just Get What You Need.” 

The conventional wisdom today is that Nigeria after the momentous pronouncement of the supreme court is getting what it needs. The LGs have not for decades been fit for purpose. Stuffed as they were with party hacks, they had scant interest in the development process. The time has come to breathe new life into a vitally important mechanism for development. 

For example, in Osun State, there are concerns over the selection of the new leadership of Local Government areas, Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs), Area Councils, and Administrative offices with the resignation of the erstwhile 401 Caretaker Chairmen and members of the management committees of the councils.

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The apex court proclaimed their illegality and barred them from administering the finances of the third tier of government. Those who resigned are to be commended for showing honour and valour. Unfortunately, no one is going to miss them because their impact on the communities has been next to zero. The issue now is what happens next, what is to be done?

Across the country, it will be a monumental disaster to continue to use the present so called State Independent Electoral Commissions as an election management apparatus. It is a terrible setback for the advocates of federalism, but unfortunately, for any advancement, the Federal INEC must now conduct local government elections. By now, the SIEC should actually be conducting Federal Elections and sending the results to the centre. This is what often obtains in well-defined federal structures such as the USA, Australia and Brazil. Again “You can’t always get what you want……”

Let us make a fresh start by using the opportunity offered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria to reinvigorate the local government and make it a trajectory, the engine room for sustainable development.