LG Autonomy: Why ‘big men’ oppose Supreme Court ruling – APGA Chairman Njoku
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Edozie Njoku, has adduced reasons why those he referred as big men, are kicking against the Supreme Court judgement that granted financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in the country.
Chief Njoku, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja after a thanksgiving service that was held to celebrate his recent legal victory, lauded the apex court for the landmark judgement which he said has returned power back to the grassroots.
Describing the APGA as the biggest beneficiary of the judgement, Chief Njoku, maintained that politicians criticising the verdict were only scared that it has liberated the third tier of the government and handed a new lease of life to LGA Chairmen and Councilors.
According to him, the directive of the apex court that the LGAs should henceforth be paid straight from the federation account, would not only bring development to the grassroots, but also strengthen checks and balances in the process of governance.
He said: “What the Supreme Court has done is to take power back to the people, which is how it should be.
“For instance, if the Federal Government holds on to the monies accruable to states, they will not be happy. But they (States) had for so long, been holding on to monies that belong to the LGAs.
“Everybody has been rushing to the State or Abuja, but more people should have been at the wards or local government areas, looking for that dividend of democracy.
“Even though most big men in the States who were benefiting from the old order, will not be happy with the judgement, however, we in APGA, we are very delighted about it.
“The fact is that God helped us and these things are happening almost at the same time. If you notice, the Supreme Court judgment happened few days after our own judgement that settled the internal dispute in APGA. It is just win-win, all through.
“The biggest beneficiary in Nigeria of this judgment of the Supreme Court is APGA.
“This is because APGA as a political party was built as a grassroot movement.
“APGA is not a party for baggy-clothes big men with red caps. It is meant for the masses to use their own party to be able to find that dividend of democracy.
“APGA is not a party for big men, its just a mass movement and when you talk about mass movement, you are talking about local governments or wards. That is what it is.
“So, there is no ambiguity in the meaning of APGA. That is exactly what it was, a mass movement.
“And in a short period of time, you will notice that APGA is going to maximize this opportunity provided by the Supreme Court. Forget about what is going on in Anambra. All the big men you see talking and shouting, it is because power is moving away from them.
“We do not want to push it on anybody, no, but we want it to be done properly. If anyone is becoming so impossible, you know that power has moved to the grassroots, and you must be comfortable with that. You must accept it, whether you like it or not,” Chief Njoku added.
While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for its decision to accord him his lawful recognition as the National Chairman of APGA, in line with the court judgement, Chief Njoku, said the party would surprise people in forthcoming elections, including in Edo State.
He, however, stressed the need for members of the party to unite and approach the elections from a common front.
“Election in Edo state is forthcoming, and there will be local government elections around the whole of Nigeria. So, we need to organize ourselves.
“The party has come through a crisis, so, we will not be on our top form but we should try and organize ourselves so that we will be able to make a bad situation not as bad as it is.
“As a party, we will work hard to reconcile properly so that people are not annoyed for one reason or another.
“We will bridge the gaps and make everybody to have a sense of belonging.
“When you look at the way politics is played now, you will know that APGA has a big role to play. APGA members should calm down, that is my normal word.
“Eventually, things will work out. We should not throw a baby away with the bathwater. We should be calm and know that what we say that will affect the party, should not be said, so that we do not rock the boat,” the APGA Chairman pleaded.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
