Ameh, a 2019 presidential candidate and former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), made the call in a statement issued on Thursday, which was obtained by SaharaReporters.
The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ojonugwa Ameh, has called for a total financial autonomy of local government areas of the federation.
Ameh, a 2019 presidential candidate and former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), made the call in a statement issued on Thursday, which was obtained by SaharaReporters.
While observing that former president, Muhammadu Buhari-led administration granted financial and administrative autonomy to the state legislature, judiciary as well as the local government areas through Order 10, regrettably the system had been hijacked by Nigerian Governors who did not want the autonomy of local government Councils.
He claimed that the undemocratic conduct of local government elections in Nigeria by State governors in connivance with members of the state assembly was largely responsible for the seemingly voter apathy and outright rigging of the entire local government elections.
He said, "We should all be concerned about the status and happenings within the Local Government System in Nigeria. It is now a notorious fact that it has been hijacked by the Nigerian Governors. I support any collaborative efforts with National Assembly to carry out constitutional amendment that will lead to the granting of full financial and Electoral autonomy to the Local Government System and Administration in Nigeria, because without mincing words, the presumed failure or the inability of the Local councils to drive and bring about development in Nigeria to a glaring point that could have positive impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians can easily be attributed to the total lack of Local government election and financial autonomy. Most of these local government administrators are imposed on the people, and we can't hold them accountable. No matter the laudable programme(s) of any administration at the Federal level without corresponding efforts at the Local Government level, all will amount to little or no impact in the life of the Nigerian people.
"I must say without mincing words that the state Independent electoral Commission is the greatest democratic fraud foisted on our electoral democracy and that is the major reason I have come to the undeniable conclusion that it is important that the conduct of Local Government elections becomes the responsibilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or we collectively work to enact and overhaul the laws that governs the affairs of State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECS) because from the attitude and conduct of state elections by all States Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC's) it is impossible to get a free, fair and credible election under the existing arrangement. The current system encourages massive rigging because SIEC's are under the wings and caprices of the State.
"The State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) is the greatest electoral abracadabra (the more you look, the more you see nothing positive) imposed on our electoral Representative democracy and my appeal to all lawmakers is to work and use moral persuasion to birth a new effective administrative system for the Local Government tier in Nigeria, if by your commitment to rescue our people from this electoral rascality and by so doing if any governor feels aggrieved or seem to be more interested in Funds meant for the local government councils, let him resign and contest as LOCAL government Chairman and he or she should be assured of the support of all Nigerians. The bottom-line of my unrelenting Advocacy for a free, fair and credible electoral and management process is to draw the attention of all sundry to the fraudulent means of conducting our Local government elections Nigerian," he said.
Ameh recommended for the amendment of Section 162(5)-(7) of the Constitution to abolish the Joint State/Local Government Account.
According to him, "Section 162(5)-(7) of the Constitution should be further amended to provide that any amount standing to the credit of the Local Government Councils in the Federation Account should be paid directly to the various Local Governments."