NIGERIA NEEDS DECENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT TO DELIVER DEMOCRACY’S DIVIDENDS — Agbakoba

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, has called for a decentralized system of government in Nigeria, where powers are devolved to the state and local governments to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, Agbakoba argued that the current system of government is over-centralized, with the federal government controlling 98 items of power. He urged President Bola Tinubu to make decentralization of powers a part of his legacy.

A New List of Legislative Powers

Agbakoba advocated for a new list of legislative powers that would clearly define the roles of each tier of government, preventing encroachment into each other’s space. He praised President Tinubu for approaching the Supreme Court to secure financial autonomy for local governments and called for further constitutional amendments to give more powers to the states and local governments.

Decentralization for Development

Agbakoba emphasized the need for decentralization to promote development from the bottom-up, rather than top-down. He urged President Tinubu to assign responsibility to the other tiers of government, enabling them to function effectively.

Legacy for Nigeria

As Nigeria celebrates Democracy Day, Agbakoba hopes that President Tinubu would reflect on the mission he’s carrying and the legacy he can leave for Nigeria. He believes that decentralization of powers would be a significant step towards achieving this goal.

Constitutional Amendment

Agbakoba called for a constitutional amendment to create a list of legislative powers for local governments, enabling them to function effectively. This, he believes, would promote development and democracy in Nigeria.