The Financial Consultant to the 774 local government councils in Nigeria, Sen. Dr Ubanesse Igbeke has lauded the Supreme Court for its judgment that granted autonomy to the local government councils in the country.
He remarked that the apex court has truly demonstrated the belief that law is the last hope of the people.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for showing clearly that his administration has a firm direction and is determined to empower Nigerians in the local areas and bring needed development to their doorsteps.
Sen. Igbeke also praised the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi SAN, for his courage, resilience and honest determination to tread where others before him feared.
He pointed out that by changing the face of local government administration in the country, President Tinubu and the Attorney General have etched their names in the annals of history with indelible ink.
Igbeke, who is also the National President of the Tax Payers Association of Nigeria, TAXPAN, said that the apex judgment would end the neglect of the local government councils and the hijacking of funds meant for the development of local areas, and boost the creation of jobs in the local areas.
He said it would also engender the provision of critical infrastructures at the grassroots, which would impact positively on the lives of citizens in towns, villages and hamlets.
According to him, the Nigerian Constitution envisaged three tiers government, where each tier shall be independent and autonomous. He regretted that over the years, the local government councils had remained just the goose that laid the golden eggs, which fattened the state governments but left them pauperized and comatose.
With the Supreme Court verdict, Senator Igbeke said, the intentions of the drafters of the constitution have been delivered after rigorous and over prolonged labour pangs. He went further to urge the President to consider creating the Ministry of Local Government Affairs to oversee the local government activities in the country.
He promised to use his office as the Financial Consultant to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to ensure that beyond statutory allocations, he would attract adequate funding for the local government councils, to enable them establish signature projects that would bring the developmental visions of the Tinubu Administration to the doorsteps of grassroots dwellers.
He rallied support for President Tinubu’s administration as it has shown deep understanding of the plight of the masses despite the current economic situation and also shown incredible capacity to do what should be done, not minding whose ox is gored.