NIGERIA STATE HOUSES OF ASSEMBLIES, MAY SOON EXPERIENCE PROTESTS OVER LG AUTONOMY, OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, IF NOT RATIFIED

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

There are strong indications that, Nigerians, across all fields of life, may soon be mobilizing for protest, if State Houses of Assemblies refuse to ratify, Local Government Autonomy, among others provisions in the 1999 Constitution, as amended by the National Assembly recently.

You would recall that, information has it that, the amendments in the 1999 Constitution have been transmitted to the State Houses of Assemblies since 29^th of March, 2022, yet Nigerians have been kept in the dark by the State Assemblies.

In a crucial meeting on 21^st April, 2022 (last week), organized by PERL-ECP, titled: “STRATEGIC MEETING OF CITIZEN GROUPS ON ADVOCACY FOR THE RATIFICATION OF CONSTITIONAL AMENDMENT BILLS”, Participants have resolved to mobilize their constituents, professional bodies and industrial association, towards engaging the various State Houses of Assemblies for the need to ratify the Constitutional Amendments, centering more on Local Government Financial Autonomy, Administrative Autonomy and Food Security.

In attendance at the meeting in Abuja, were leaders of frontline Labour Movements, Journalists and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which includes, NLC, NULGE, NUJ, among others.

Earlier in their remarks, while welcoming the participants, Dr. Adiya Ode, the National Team Leader of PERL-ECP, Sen. Bala Adamu, Amb. Jerry Ugokwe and Mr. John Mutu of Democracy Vanguard, called on all participants to join hands towards achieving the purpose of the ratification. They said, “It is now a NEED for the country”.