The Chairman, Senate Services Committee, Sunday Karimi, (APC, Kogi West) said the National Assembly would enact a law that will empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct local council elections.
Local council elections are currently being conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission or SIEC, under the state governments.
Following the Supreme Court judgment that has forbidden the state governors from collecting local council allocations from the federation account, the senate said it would also ensure absolute neutrality by insulating the councils against the overarching influence of the state governors.
To achieve that it said a law would be enacted to ensure that INEC, which conducts federal and state governorship elections, will conduct the elections at the third tier of government.
Karimi, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, urged Nigerians to keep faith that the National Assembly would ensure compliance by the various state governments, while also taking up the responsibility of amending the constitution to address inherent contentious issues.
The Senator noted: “Since 1999, the third tier of government literally speaking, has been non-existent. State governments treated them as appendages of the state governments.
“No President has been able to change that. But, within one year, President Tinubu has returned the local government to the owners-the masses.
“Local governments, if well operated, will ensure a better existence for our people. President Tinubu took due cognizance of this and courageously took the bull by the horn.
“Some state governors will fight back. President Tinubu allowed the judiciary a free hand to operate in this particular instance, irrespective of the fact that he is but a first term President who may desire a comeback in 2027.”
He added that “I align myself with the President on this. It takes a man of the people, it takes a man of courage, it takes a man that knows and feels the pulse of the masses to make this happen.
