Some political analysts reason that the creation of the Regional Development Commission is a plan to actualise regional government; do you share in their sentiments?
Nigeria is bigger and stronger than any one leader’s selfish machinations. As a constitutional democracy, no leader can impose his will on the people without their consent through their elected representatives. We are watching very closely and will continue to do our part as citizens to protect the rights of our people.
What is your opinion on the ruling on fiscal autonomy for local governments?
This is long overdue and I must commend President Tinubu for getting the legal backing through the ruling of the highest court in the land. Local governments are in my opinion more important and relevant to the people than states or federal governments.
Governors have over the years emasculated the local governments by holding onto their finances making all 774 local governments in the country mere shells just paying salaries and doing nothing for the people. Financial autonomy for the local governments is critical in poverty reduction, stemming rural to urban migration, reducing youth unemployment and checkmating the insecurity bedeviling the country.
There have been outcries over the conduct of LG elections by state governors. How can the councils work with full autonomy?
All the state governors recently rushed to conduct local government elections to beat the deadline of October 3, 2024, imposed by the Supreme Court’s ruling that no state would be paid its local government subventions if it does not have an elected local government council.
Unfortunately, none of the states conducted anything near free and fair elections. What we saw instead was a disgraceful sham and daylight robbery of citizens’ right to vote. Such brazen acts of executive impunity and rascality by the governors do not bode well for our hard worn and fragile democracy.
Businesses are closing; SMEs are dying, throwing more people into the already saturated labour market. What are your thoughts about this situation?
Yes, it is scary that President Tinubu’s economic policies are not only anti people but hostile to businesses. That is why we are seeing companies shutting down, businesses leaving the country and workers being retrenched. No economy, no matter how powerful, can withstand the sudden shocks of fuel subsidy removal, high energy cost, runaway inflation, high interest rates and massive devaluation of the currency in a country that is entirely import dependent.
President Tinubu is hell bent on replicating on the national stage the tax, tax, tax model he used in governing Lagos over 20 years ago. He forgot that it is now 2024 and that taxation does not grow economies, only production does. Taxing citizens beyond their abilities to pay is just voodoo economics. The real fear is that things will just slowly grind to a halt if corrective measures are not urgently taken.
What should Nigerians do in the face of it?
Power belongs to the people and all citizens must get involved in holding our leaders accountable. I have never been more worried for our country than I am today. That is why I continue to call on all citizens to stand up and speak up against the tyranny of governments.
