State Governors Have Rendered LGAs ‘IMPOTENT’- Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday ruled that the 774 Local Government Areas(LGAs) across the country have been rendered “impotent” and almost “bastardized,” following the massive encroachment into their affairs by the state governors.

Obasanjo said the glaring injustices and overbearing influence of the governors which they hand down routinely to the LGAs are such that they cannot tolerate it should the Federal Government elect treat them the same way.

The ex – President made this known when a 60 – member delegation of the National Union of Local Government Employees(NULGE) visited him at his residence on Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta.

The delegation led by the NULGE National President, Ibhraheem Khaleel, were in Obasanjo’s home on Wednesday to solicit support towards freeing the LGAs from the alleged asphyxiating grip of the nation’s 36 state governors.


The NULGE had through Khaleel, complained to the ex – Predident that the governors without exception, ” have completely rendered the Local Governments impotent and battered it through massive encroachment, diversion of funds and non implementation of rules establishing them(LGAs).”

But Obasanjo who listened to them, said he is helpless about their plights, noting that when the LGA was reformed in 1976, by the then military government which he was a part, it gave LGAs  “functions, responsibilities and duties” to peform.

He said it is saddening now to observe that state governors’ interferance has completely eroded the “sanctity and constitutionality” of the establishing LGAs.

Obasanjo, however, said Nigerians should keep talking to the members of the National and states Assemblies as well as other stakeholders towards finding a way to  make the LGAs trully functional and democratic as envisioned by founding fathers.

He said: “coming to me or me saying something is not the answer. I’m like a cripple. I have no executive power. I have no legislative power,  but you are not crippled and you can show them that you are on ground. Local Government should be allowed to carry out its function.

“But I wonder, if the states can allow what they are doing to the Local Governments  to be done to them by the Federal Government.

“Sadly, very very sadly, the autonomy of the Local Governments almost without any exception, have been bastardized and encroached by the States.

” Both are suppose to be  tiers of government with each having its roles and functions. But, that is not the case.

We shall continue to talk until those who reasonable among change this attitude.”

Culled