All eyes will be on Kogi as the state goes to the polls over the next few weeks. The proposed Local Government polls is coming on the heels of the recent announcement by the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) that it plans to conduct elections come October 19, 2024 to elect Chairmen that will oversee the affairs of the third tier of government.
The issue is not peculiar to Kogi alone; in fact following the Supreme Court Judgement that granted autonomy to the Local Government Areas in the country including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, more States are getting ready for similar polls.
No, fewer than 13 States have fixed dates for Local Government elections in the aftermath of the famous and historic judgment which also prohibited federal allocation to councils being administered by caretaker committees.
The States that have commenced council polls preparations include Kogi, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi Bauchi, Osun, Enugu, Benue, Rivers, Jigawa, Imo, Abia, and Anambra.
Over the years, the performances of local government administrations in Nigeria have been very disappointing and as such, it is imperative that we get this election right in the interest of the masses and the need for rapid development. One vital way of achieving this is to ensure ‘the right men’ are elected for the job.
The mandate of an elected Chairman of a local government includes amongst others, paying attention to the issues of payment of salaries; building and rehabilitation of basic healthcare facilities; supporting schools, education at the grassroots to function properly; ensuring adequate security for residents at the grassroots; providing amenities that would make life more meaningful for people at that level etc.
As such, prioritising competence in candidate selection is essential in maintaining the integrity, productivity and glamour of the office of the local government chairman.
However, it is quite disheartening to see the dwindling state of affairs in the local government councils across the country. Being the tier of government that is the closest to the people at the grassroots, there is the need for urgent steps to entrench leadership that would ensure the people are positively affected.
While the local government system is expected to promote and sustain development at the grassroots level, since the return of democratic rule in the country, that tier of government has being witnessing much abuse of the system across the country, mainly by critical political actors and players.
Consequently, this has affected their function and performances. Productivity has greatly reduced as they strive to stay above the numerous challenges. Since governance is serious business, it is always better to engage the best hands for the chairmanship job.
There is no harm in engaging professionals and experienced persons such as professors, bankers, industrialists, retired security personnel, clerics and business men as chairman of local councils. If anything, it would enhance governance, productivity and development.
One case that readily comes to mind is that of a former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Ogiri Ajene.
He was the number two man in Benue State for eight years. He had authority over millions of people. He sat in council with Commissioners. He was addressed as “His Excellency.” He represented his boss then, Chief George Akume, at Federal Executive Council meetings, presided over by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
To the surprise of many, he decided to vie for the seat of a Councillor after eight years as Deputy Governor so he could transfer his wealth of experience into transforming the grassroots.
It is on this note, that The Graphic would like to implore the concerned political parties and stakeholders to take drastic and firm steps to ensure only competent, experienced hands and goal getters with the passion to transform the lives of their communities are picked for the polls.
We call on political parties to present candidates that would bring about visible developments to the diverse communities in the state. We do not expect war lords and unlettered political loyalists as local councils’ chairmen whose interest would be on how to siphon public fund for private aggrandizement.
We commend the Kogi State Government for not hiking the nominations forms for the various political positions in the local government area; in this way, elected political leaders in the local councils would not feel they have spent so much to be elected and therefore look for how to recoup their expended money.
We also stoop to advise that candidates and political parties should not see the election as a do or die affairs, even as we call the State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election that would stand the test of time.
