Kwara: As citizens anticipate local government polls
In his public declaration on the much awaited autonomy for local government administration, the Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, made his position known. This much was captured in a statement credited to his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, and published in This Day Newspaper of Wednesday 12 June 2024.
This, apparently, was in response to the verdict of the Supreme Court, which recognized local government as the third tier of government, thus laying to rest claims and counter-claims that hitherto permeated the age long notion that the local government is a mere appendage of the state government.
For me, three paragraphs actually put the Governor AbdulRazaq's position in its real context.
"It is my personal belief that each local government should manage its resources and be responsible for its obligations including wages that are first line charges. I also believe that the state governors should not be held liable if any local government is unable to pay salaries since we do not touch a kobo of their money.
"These are my personal beliefs. But my personal belief is not necessarily the same as the letters of the law including the provisions of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), which is a creation of the constitution.
"JAAC, in summary, pulls resources together to pay all teachers, health workers, traditional rulers, and other statutory duties listed in the schedule of the local government areas. If we all want these to change as a national consensus, we believe that the constitution will have to be amended to expunge JAAC", AbdulRazaq said.
Now that we live in a world where opposition does not only exist, but is entitled to its opinion, I was not surprised when, the following day, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olushola Adewara, issued a counter statement, which was published in another This Day Newspaper of Thursday, June 13, 2024 where the PDP took another position contrary to that of Governor AbdulRazaq on the same local government autonomy. Here is the position of the party, and for the purpose of this intervention, I will pick just two paragraphs from it.
"This action is an irresponsible display of leadership weakness on the part of the state government and is indicative of the government’s fear of the consequences of actions, instead of toeing this dishonourable path.
"The PDP, therefore, advises Mallam AbdulRazaq to publicly apologize to the people of Kwara State, especially the grassroots dwellers, who are the direct victims of his impunity against the local governments, and withdraw his processes filed at the Supreme Court immediately".
Here, I disagree with the route the PDP has taken on this matter. In a time like this, one is of the firm opinion that here is the same Governor, before and behind whom there was an outcry to conduct a local government election, and here is the same man, who not only supported that a date be fixed for elections to be conducted at the third tier of government, but came out to say he is also in support of their autonomy. This much was also considered a topic for discussion during a TVC, Journalists Hangout Programme of Thursday 13th June, 2024 where the position of the Kwara State Governor was discussed objectively and put in focus.
I really don’t understand this logic but I admit that emotional arguments are usually like that. I prefer we focus the debate on how to reform the councils to deliver governance to the grassroots including a functioning primary health care system and improved enrolment in primary schools.
When and where two elephants fight, the grass suffers, says an evergreen Yoruba adage. Kwarans want a time like this, when local government elections would be conducted for which the Governor has given his consent and assurances through different ways. For the state chapter of the PDP, it suffices to say the polity shouldn't be overheated, while unnecessary issues shouldn't be blown out of proportion on account of playing the role of opposition.
Election, as enunciated in the nation's Constitution, is a process where by an individual, ranging from the age of eighteen and above, is allowed to fully participate by exercising his/her franchise, as that also explains why many public analysts and brilliant columnists described such process as one of the ingredients upon which democracy is anchored. Even with that, as a public commentator, I like talking about leadership, while society building is my life's passion, for which I use to be deeply inspired by the progress in other societies. So, I can't stop talking about it as the only way forward to lift our society, the local government in particular, from backwardness to prosperity.
The 1999 Constitution (as amended), provides that each of the 774 local governments in the country is vested with powers to establish and maintain cemeteries, burial grounds and homes for the destitute or infirm; license bicycles, vehicles, canoes, wheel barrows and carts; regulate slaughter houses, markets, motor parks and public conveniences as well as construct and maintain roads, streets lightings, drains, parks, gardens, open spaces etc. They are also to register births, deaths and marriages and name roads, streets, and houses, while providing and maintaining public conveniences and refuse disposal among other functions. Perhaps most significantly, local governments are expected to provide and maintain primary, adult and vocational education and health services.
It is within the above context, which states briefly the functions and other responsibilities of the local government, that one will like to situate the fact that Kwarans will again, troop out across the sixteen local government areas of the state by going to their various polling units come September 21st, 2024 to legitimately cast their votes to usher in the candidates of their choice for both chairmanship and councillorship seats in their respective local governments.
In retrospect, it will be an understatement to mention here that Kwara is known for peace, most especially, during elections, be it Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senate, House of Representative and that of Local Government, hence the need for all hands to be on deck this time again, to collectively work toward the sustainability of such tempo. Since Kwara, also known as the State of Harmony, is one of the few States that always experience peace and orderliness during elections, for there is no gainsaying the state often stand out for excellence during any of such process, evidently from the ways and manners at which the electorates usually demonstrate the fact that, Kwara is no doubt a state of harmony.
In light of the foregoing, it is yet another time for Kwarans to demonstrate that same and existing spirit of peace, orderliness and understanding, as eligible voters are expected to obediently cast their votes during the forthcoming local government polls just as they exhibited in the past, as the moment at hand is offering us another ample opportunity to honestly vote in those who will be leading us at the grassroots level irrespective of their religion, ethnic and political affiliation, but on the basis of God fearing and a strong sense of maturity of mind with which they are expected to protect our common wealth and patrimony.
Worthy of note also is the fact that the incoming local government executives should be those who will have the minds of their own as that, in itself, is a cleaver way of extending the gesture of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's good governance programmes aimed at reaching out to the downtrodden masses, which one also believed had immensely contributed to how the state is fast becoming a role model among her peers across the federation.
Politicians, are on the other hand, advised not to see the said elections as do-or-die, rather, it will be wise on their part to imbibe the spirit of statesmanship, knowing fully well that it is only God that gives power to whom he wishes. More so, our youth, who are no doubt the future leaders of this country, should not allowed themselves to be used as willing tools to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming polls. Instead, they should collectively see themselves as the instrument of the positive change the society has been yearning for.
With this in mind, it will be as well, apposite on the part of our stakeholders, the clerics and our traditional rulers in particular, who could intervene on the path of honesty and fair play to ensure the spread of peaceful and love messages in their domains, which one believe will unite us the more, rather than involving in partisan politics, which no doubt, will continue to normalize situations that could limit our progress as an entity. On that account, one is cocksure that posterity will place whatever roles they play today in it's real perspective even when they are no more.
To this end, it is also incumbent on whoever emerges as the winner not to see he/herself as the boss, but as a servant whose top priority should be based on how to allow inclusiveness as well as justify the trust reposed in him/her. They are expected to focus on how their electioneering promises would be fulfilled by following the meaningful steps of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is not resting on his quest to turn the state to the pride of the nation.
Those who emarge winners, eventually, should also be careful of power mongers, political jobbers, desperate people and political parasites who roams around for selfish purpose, one of which is to hijack power and mislead leaders. They are everywhere, and this is their time. To create confusion, abuse every opportunity with their sinister agandas against the good of the people. They benefit from you and remain ungrateful at end, especially when power is over and you have nothing to offer them anymore. Every focus, determined and result oriented leaders should be careful of them. It is not written on their faces. They are pretenders and unassuming, but by their fruits, they shall be known and unveiled at the end. The Yorubas call them Igi da, Eye Fo.
Security agencies are also expected to be professional in their conduct, while we urge the electoral empire to avoid any hitch that would attract suspicious moves on its part as prompt arrival of voting materials, timely arrival of officials and transparency among others are also expected to be its watch word.
In order not to rob Peter to pay Paul, let those, who would by choice of destiny, loose in the polls never see the exercise as the end of the world. Besides, since Kwara has been at the forefront of economic excellence in Nigeria, it is crystal clear that the forthcoming local government elections will be another litmus test of maturity for Kwarans, and to successfully pass this test, we are all are expected to come out en-mass devoid of fear to perform our legitimate right without violence. This, one is sure, will go a long way to help our nascent democracy.
God bless Nigeria.
God bless Kwara.
Ishola is the former Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Kwara State Chapter.
Isholagbenga@yahoo.com
04/09/2024
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