TINUBU’S LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT! — Reno Omokri
TINUBU’S LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT!
This Local Government Autonomy achieved via the Supreme Court by the Tinubu administration is perhaps the most outstanding achievement of the President so far. I am not sure Nigerians really appreciate the impact of this landmark achievement on democracy.
For the past twenty five years, only Lagos has had somewhat of a functioning Local Government administration where LGAs build major infrastructure. And that is because they were well funded, and elections into LGAs were keen.
During my last interview with Seun Okinbaloye, I said that the LGA Chairman of Eti-Osa has achieved more infrastructurally, than Peter Obi did as a two-term Governor of Anambra.
That is why Lagos is one of the few states where poverty eradication and reduction was and is still experienced. Local Government autonomy has been well established there.
Please fact-check me. In the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2022 released by the National Bureau of Statistics, only Lagos and Ondo States had rolled back multidimensional poverty in Nigeria. And both states have thriving Local Governments. A coincidence?
I must add that in Ondo LGAs suffered a setback this year after the death on December 27, 2023, of Governor Akeredolu brought about some political instability in the state.
Take Anambra, for instance, where Peter Obi refused to conduct Local Government elections. Poverty in that state doubled under Peter Obi as a two-term Governor. Please fact-check me. The equivalent of $10,000 in Naira for you if you can fault me.
The fact is that Local Governments are the closest levels of government to the masses. And when they are well-funded and democratic, they are also the fastest way to reduce poverty in any country.
But when Governors, like Obi, hijack their funds and autonomy, they are stifled and only those in the state capitals and the cronies of the Governor make money. The facts speak for themselves in this matter.
And those who have been stiffing the growths of Local Governments are not happy with the freedom acquired for them by the Tinubu administration.
That is why the usually talkative Peter Obi, who posts on social media more than a teenage girl, has not said anything more than twenty-four hours after the Supreme Court verdict.
Obi and his supporters are still in shock! Obi is not happy that Local Governments are free. The Gbajue family is in mourning. There is no bad news for them to celebrate. And since they only talk when evil occurs, Obi is silent!
How many governors have reacted to the judgment? Almost none. In fact, I am not sure that even one Governor has commended the decision. That is to tell you how far-reaching this rescue operation for LGAs by the Tinubu government has been. They are still in shock.
And as the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, said that the implementation of the judgment will start today, more shocks await governors like Peter Obi, who saw LGAs as their cash cow. The situation in states where the Governors appointed Caretaker Committees to run LGAs is even more dire. They will have to hold elections or get no money.
Look at the people complaining about the judgment. Political godfathers and party hacks.
This is a good day and time for Nigeria. For the first time, democracy is getting to the grassroots, and development will follow. Nigeria won!
Reno Omokri
