The Mayor of Urhoboland and an ex-militant leader, His Excellency Eshanakpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro has commended the Supreme Court for the landmark judgement giving full autonomy to the local government councils and reaffirming its third tier status.
Commending the Justice Emmanuel Agim-led 7-man supreme court panel, the Mayor noted in his statement issued in his Ughelli Mayoral Palace that the Supreme Court verdict marked a watershed in the history of local government as a third tier administration in Nigeria
He stressed that development had eluded local areas due to undue interference in the administration of the government by state governors.
The statement congratulated the federal government and the good people of Nigeria over the “life changing court verdict by the Supreme court” saying without pretence, the third tier of government had suffocated under pressure from the state governors who see the councils as extention of their government houses.
The 1999 constitution, AKpodoro noted, must be the operational tool for the political system to make meaningful impact on the grassroot development.
Accoridng to the vociferous Mayor, who is also a top-notch grassroot mobiliser and leader of thought, the Supreme Court verdict will no doubt usher in massive development and make the third tier governance more accountable and impactful on the life of the people.
He noted that the current administration is honestly establishing a true federal structure with functional federating units devoid of overlapping functions and insubordinations.
Mayor Akpodoro noted that with financial autonomy every local government administration is now accountable to their constituencies thereby lessening the pressure on the state government.
“The burden of development is now more on the local government and it behooves on the councils to be more accessible, accountably transparent to the people and to the constitution of the Federal Republic.
“We congratulate the federal government for this historic achievement that will mark a turning point in the administration of the local people.
“It will add value to governance by bringing government closer to the people and the political space will be more actively participatory beyond the dictatorial architecture of the state government.
“The Supreme Court has proven once again to be the bastion of hope for the common man. Today’s judgement on the autonomy of the third tier of governance in Nigeria has revived out national hope and aspirations.
“An autonomous local council will build roads, provide portable water, employ workers, maintain educational facilities and at the same time engage in productive ventures like farming, primary health facilities will be made more functionally available to the people and capacity building to lift the people above poverty level.
“The youth population will heave a sigh of relief as the government will be closer to them to harness the benefits of millennial goals,” Mayor Akpodoro, who doubles as the national president of Urhobo Youth Forum for Change, UYFC, maintained.
He called on Nigerians to support the President Tinubu administration to deliver more life changing programmes ams policies.
Specifically, the Mayor noted that the President achieved his aim of granting autonomy to the local governments without engaging in any hostility against the governors but rather chose to demonstrate his belief in democratic instruments by approaching the court.
“President Tinubu will rule for win the second term no matter the conspiracies against him by those he yanked off their hands from the till making slush funds stops flowing in the direction of thieves and enemies of the Nigerian state. Nigerian youths are solidly behind the President for his second term and that we goal we shall achieve,” the Mayor stated.
