Labour to Recall North Central Lawmakers Opposing LGAs’ Autonomy

Igbawase Ukumba

The organised labour from the North-central zone yesterday threatened to invoke section 110 of the Nigeria constitution on any state lawmaker with dissenting voice to the demand for local government, legislative and judicial autonomy.

Leadership of the organised labour from the zone gave the threat through the Nasarawa State chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Yusuf Sarki Iya, during a solidarity rally to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to pressurise implementation of autonomy for local government, legislative and judiciary arms of government.

Iya said: “Today we are here to advocate  support from you ( Nasarawa Assembly Speaker). That is why the states of Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory are here to pass a message of solidarity.

“Mr. Speaker, this is your project and it affect you indirectly. The autonomy is one of the key ingredients of good governance, prudency, transparency, accountability and adherence to the rule of law.”

The Nasarawa NLC chairman maintained that wherever there is no autonomy, there is bound to be corruption and insincerity in financial dealings.

“We want to have 100 per cent vote for the autonomy from the states. The message from our national body is that the constitution is very clear. There is no ambiguity about the constitution as section 110 of the constitution states that where you are not comfortable with a member of a House of Assembly, you recall him.

“We can invoke that section on any member with a dissenting voice to our demand for the autonomy,” Iya threatened.

When receiving the organised labour at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly complex in Lafia, Speaker of the Assembly, Abdullahi Balarabe Ibrahim, assured  them that the demand for the autonomy was a constitutional issue hence nobody can change it.

“Your demands for the autonomy of local government, legislative and judicial arms of government will be met as soon as the National Assembly communicates us,” the Nasarawa speaker assured.