Nduka Eya, a politician and former INEC resident electoral commissioner, has urged Nigerians to stop “demonising governors” over local government administrative and financial autonomy, blaming the Constitution.

Mr Eya made the call while addressing journalists in Enugu on Sunday about issues affecting the nation and its people.

He said that the current negative perception of Nigerians looking at the governors as the problem is rocking the council areas, which is not the case, as the problem stems from the military’s unitary system of rule as well as the constitution.

“I was once a permanent secretary to council areas in the old Anambra and I know how the council areas administration and financial system work,” he said. “To be fair to the governors, especially present governors, the present conditions of council areas are not their making. It started with the military unitary system of government, which made council areas of no consequence and no value for decades.”

He added, “The military stopped the smooth running of council areas and dissolved it, whereas the regional government of the 1960s made active use of the council or municipal area authorities to drive development to the grassroots.

“The constitution is not also helping matters. The constitution fully recognised and apportioned clear powers and responsibilities to the federal, regional government (where available) and state components.

“Nowhere did the constitution make clear-cut power and responsibility for the council areas. This means that the constitution leaves room for the council areas to be used at the mercy of the state or federal governments.”

Then-President Muhammadu Buhari signed an executive order in May 2020 to grant financial autonomy to the judiciary, legislature, and local government councils.

(NAN)