President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed willingness to support any amendment to the constitution that will allow for local government autonomy.
Buhari spoke Thursday in Abuja during an audinece with the leadership of the Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON).
In a statement issued by Mallam Garba Shehu, SSA to the President (Media & Publicity), President Buhari said a constitutional amendment was urgently required to clearly define the relationship among the three tiers of government.
He described the frosty relationship between states and local government as “a very serious constitutional problem”.
“The relationship between the three tiers of government is not a very nice one, especially that between the local governments and the states.
“The states feel like they own the local government, if they are of the same party. It is worse if they are not.
“This is a very serious constitutional problem and unless there is absolute clarity and transparency, the relationship will continue to be exploited against the interest of the ordinary people of the country,” the President said.
President Buhari advised the ALGON executives to hold consultations with their people and lawyers with a view to presenting a bill that will seek a constitutional amendment to free the councils from the stranglehold of the states.
“This will limit the damage they can do to you. The quicker you do this the better, so that you can help your people much more,” the President said.
The President acknowledged the request by ALGON for the release of 3.2 billion dollars wrongfully deducted by the Federal government for the final settlement of foreign debts in 2005.
President Buhari said the government recognized the judgment debt but the timing of the request for its repayment was wrong given the current economic situation in the country.
In his remarks, Acting ALGON National President Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Karaye presented a six-point demand to the President which included the repayment of the 3.2 billion debt and the need to ensure the sovereignty of local government administration in the country.
The ALGON leaders expressed their full support to the President’s programmes on improving security, anti-corruption campaign and economic revival.