Leadership (Abuja)

Nigeria: LG Funds - Senator Accuses Govs of Criminality

By Lawal Saidu, 30 January 2009

Katsina — The Senate Majority Whip, Senator Mahmoud Kanti Bello, has described as criminal, the situation where governors withhold local government funds and only release it to them at will.

Senator Kanti, who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Katsina, alleged that even his governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, is guilty of the unconstitutionality and criminality of withholding local government funds.

He said: "This withholding of local government funds by the governors is unconstitutional, wrong and criminal. You will find even governors that are lawyers including our governor here doing that".

Kanti attributed the tampering of local government funds by the governors to weak legislators who could not control the governors that are powerful in their states.

"Because we have legislators that are weak and governors that are powerful, they keep the funds and will give the local councils N20 million this month and the next month, N5 million," he added.

Similarly, Kanti called for the establishment of a truly independent INEC to be headed by a credible Nigerian and the scrapping of the states electoral bodies.

According to him, "For example, if you establish an INEC that is truly independent and put General Gowon as the chairman of that body and you place that INEC under a judicial council that will give Nigerians some hope, I don't think any person in his right senses will go to Gowon to bribe him over election".

Commenting on the recent friction with the House of Representatives on constitution review, Kanti warned that the Senate will not compromise its position of rejecting the idea of co- chairmanship of the review committee.

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  • linpri95
    Jan 30 2009, 13:07
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    Thanks to Senator Kanti for daring to mention this. There is no separation of powers in the real sense and even without the intervention of legistors, the local government chairmen, who were duly elected should be able to get help in the judicial system.

    The problem is that the governors are the ones who in one way or another determines who becomes the local government chairman. Independence and separation of powers only exist on paper.

    Take for example, the constition review. Why can't the reps do their job and then forward it to the senate for review or addition work? Why do both need a joint committee on anything?

    I don't know what kind of democracy we are practicing in Nigeria.

    The president is too powerful, governors too powerful and even the so-called local government chairmen, also lord on those establishments under their control and by the time they are all done, there is usually nothing left for the common man.

    The reps, senators and state house of assemblies that have been endowed with the power to control all these entities are to blame for the country's problems.

    Senator Kanti may need to get his coleagues in the national assembly to steer the country in the right direction otherwise, you will all get old and meet the same problems that you have failed to correct. Trust me, it is very painful to deal with crisis in Nigeria at old age.

    God bless Nigeria!