PDP slams Cross River Local Government Bill as “daylight robbery”

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Cross River State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party has described the Cross River State Local Government Amendment Bill as “daylight robbery”.

The party made this known in a statement signed by its state publicity secretary, Mike Ojisi, and made available to our correspondent in Calabar.

The party condemned the law, saying it contradicts last year’s Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.

“The Cross River State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed utter displeasure and disaffection with the Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) for the hasty passage of the Local Government Amendment Bill 2025.

“The PDP alerts the good people of Cross River State and the entire nation to this daylight robbery of local government funds under the guise of legislative amendments.

“The party condemns this legislative ambush, describing it as a direct contradiction of the Supreme Court’s judgment on Local Government Autonomy and an orchestrated scheme to arm-twist, emasculate, and misappropriate local government resources,” the party said.

The party also faulted the Cross River 10th Assembly for wrongly relying on Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, which merely empowers states to enact laws for local government administration, but not to undermine their autonomy or divert their funds.

The party also faulted the unauthorized monthly deduction of 1% for House of Assembly “oversight functions” and 0.5% deduction for the State Community and Social Development Agency.

In addition, the PDP questioned the proposed 1% deduction for funding the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), despite the state government’s primary responsibility for higher education funding.

Others include the 0.5% deduction for the Office of the State Auditor General, ₦1 million mandatory monthly contribution from each LGA to the Cross River State Reserve Fund, and a 4% deduction for the Cross River State Road Maintenance Agency, a responsibility that should be handled by the state government, not the local councils.

The PDP said the law is an evil plot meant to plunder resources meant for grassroots development.

It maintained that the financial autonomy of LGAs is sacrosanct and must not be subjected to the manipulative whims of the state government.