LG Autonomy: Electoral Reforms Needed To Stop Governors Handpicking LG Chairmen- APC Chieftain

Emmanuel Clement 

A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Felix Morka has called for some electoral reforms to make the recent financial autonomy granted to local governments (LGs) by the Supreme Court effective.

Morka made the call on Channels Television’s Politics Today Programme on Tuesday stating that though financial autonomy has been granted to the third tier of government, Nigeria cannot be said to have formidable LG administrations when governors still “handpick” chairmen for local governments in their states.

The APC Spokesman said,“In my understanding, the Supreme Court was right on the mark to give local governments access to funds meant for them. I don’t think this matter should engage the kind of controversy that I am seeing,”

“I agree that the entire system for regulating how elections are conducted in the local governments has to be properly revisited by the state governors and federal authorities.

Read also:LG Autonomy Will Remain Ineffective – Sowore

“They need to come together and figure out a way to create a system and to regulate the conduct of elections that blends itself to some level of scrutiny, objectivity and independence as well because giving financial autonomy is one thing but if those who serve are handpicked by the same governors, then we are not yet there. We need to make some reforms to that electoral process,” Morka stated