The Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, on Monday opposed the granting of autonomy to local governments, but insisted that giving financial and administrative autonomy to the judiciary and legislative arm of government will stop frequent harassment, intimidation and threat of governors by legislators.
Aliyu made the remark at the opening of a five-day Capacity Building Seminar for Magistrates and Sharia Judges and Administrative Staff at the Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna.
According to him: “We have agreed on the autonomy of the legislative arm of government.
“We believe that constant lobby, harassment and threat from the distinguished members will stop when autonomy is granted.”
Aliyu however opposed the granting of autonomy to local governments, saying that the third tier of government belongs to the states and not the federal.
He said making the local governments independent will put some of them in positions that they will not be able to pay workers salaries.
He argued that in Niger State, only three out of the 25 local government councils in the will be in position to pay workers salaries if they are made autonomous because presently they depend on other councils to remain afloat.
The governor said that there is a misconception about the joint account principle, explaining that joint account is between the local governments and not with the state, through which they supplement each other financially.
Accordingly, he said: “I disagree with the autonomy of local governments.
“There is a misconception about the joint account.
“Some LGAs are more buoyant than the others.
“Twenty-two LGAs are being supplemented by the others in the payment of salaries.”
The governor therefore argued that granting autonomy to LGAs will be creating 801 federating units in the country, thereby establishing mini governors of the same number in the federation, which is not what the constitution wants.
“It is not right and it cannot be right in a federal system,” the governor said emphatically.
On autonomy for the judiciary, Governor Aliyu threw his weight behind the plan, saying it will improve the standards of the courts and make adjudication of justice faster and unbiased.
He added: “With independent and unbiased judiciary, our democracy will flourish.”
Aliyu however suggested that in view of the congestion of the courts, there is the need for the institution of what he called “alternative dispute resolution strategy”, which will provide for means of settling disputes without resorting to the law courts.
In an address, the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Lami Fati Abubakar, said the seminar is designed to bring Sharia court judges and magistrates abreast of current trend in the legal profession.
A justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Musa Dattijo; a former Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo, and members of the Nigeria Bar Association attended the opening ceremony.
They all called on state governors to implement judiciary autonomy as enshrined in Section 121 sub section 3 of the constitution.