Please permit me to add my voice to the ongoing debate as to whether or not the Lagos State Government should conduct elections into the LCDAs created by ex-governor Bola Tinubu.
I am not a politician in the Nigerian sense of it, neither do I hold membership card of any political party. So my view on the issue at stake is purely my own conviction.
I strongly believe that the Lagos State Government has the right and should go ahead to give full recognition to the LCDAs by conducting elections into them. I will adduce five reasons for my stance:-
Promoting Federalism--- Nigeria is a federalism only on paper. And there has to be a paradigm shift. Somehow, we must begin a process that would deemphasise the centralization of policy formulation for States in Nigeria. The 36 States of the federation should be allowed to grow at their own pace, based on their ability to generate revenues that could sustain developmental momentum. I know that there can be no true federalism without fiscal federalism, but we must begin the process of attaining true federalism from a starting point. And that starting point is political federalism. Lagos State has taken a bold step in political federalism, and that would be a wonderful precedent, if found to be successful.
The Defectiveness Of The Constitution--- I believe the 1999 Constitution is defective in many areas.The clamour for constitutional amendments is not misplaced. However, while we all await the process of constitutional amendments to commence, no State of the country should be denied the moral right to create and fund LCDAs, as well as conduct elections into them.
Economic Perspective--- We all know that Lagos State as a special status has the commercial capital of Nigeria, and therefore its growth and development should be of concern to all. If Lagos State is going to be a maga city, the creation and empowering of more Council areas to accomodate the cosmopolitan nature of the new Lagos is inevitable.
Political Perspective--- In a true democracy, I think more and more people should have their interests well represented in government. And with the current population explosion in Lagos, it is only logical to spread political representation in the State. I hope to see an Igbo man or Edo man or Ijaw man or Hausa man assume elective office in Lagos State. So the LCDAs should stay.
The Peculiarity Of Lagos State--- Lagos is a progressive State right from when it was first created, and I don't think that would change. Whatever works in Lagos should be seen as a model for the rest of the Nigerian federation.
Finally, I think the issue of the LCDAs has been unduly politicised. One of our problem in Nigeria is that our leaders politicise virtually everything. And this is not good for our development as a nation.
Let us understand that any State that chooses to create additional Council Areas beside the constituionally recognised ones, should be made to shoulder responsibilities for the running of those additional Council Areas. Let us allow federalism to take roots in our democracy.
I wish Lagos State well as they conduct elections into the LCDAs.
Adedayo Adetoye
Tel: +234 805 191 2385
e-MAIL: adetoyeadedayo@googlemail.com
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