• Commends AGF Fagbemi’s push for Local Government autonomy
By Amina Abdulkadir
May 31, 2024
Former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has issued a strong call to action, urging Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to deliver a true federal constitution and alleviate poverty and hardship within the remaining three years of his administration.
In a compelling episode of “Inside Sources with Laolu Akande” aired on Channels TV, on Friday, the veteran journalist who spoke with characteristic candour, also addressed pressing national issues, from the autonomy of local governments to the crisis in Kano’s Emirate system and the critical tasks awaiting the Tinubu administration.
“There are three important observations that I want to call attention to,” Akande began. “Number one, here on Inside Sources, we have been focusing on the issue of local government administration and how many state governments have emasculated local governments since 1999.”
But Akande had earlier expressed his delight at the recent action by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who has taken significant steps to assert the autonomy of local governments by filing a case with the Supreme Court.
“Today, we are delighted to report that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has filed a case with the Supreme Court to assert the autonomy of the local governments in Nigeria. Now, this is a very good and a very big deal,” Akande asserted.
He continued, “The Attorney General, a rather silent but prominent lawyer, has also spoken against some of the excesses of many governors, including how state electoral commissions have become simple appendages of state governments.
“Mr Fagbemi in this wise is clearly doing an excellent job. Kudos to him, he is a shining star in the Tinubu cabinet and we must also commend the President for appointing a very top-notch social justice-minded Attorney General.”
Turning to the ongoing crisis in Kano, Akande described it as a “national embarrassment.”
He explained, “What is happening in Kano is currently a national embarrassment. We have federal and state courts in at least three different volleys countering each other and giving conflicting orders after what happened last week with the restoration of Emir (Muhammadu) Sanusi by Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State.
“Thank God, the Chief Justice of the Federation has summoned the judges, but politicians have meddled so badly with the Kano Emirate system that it now seems otherwise that the lofty office of the Emir of Kano will be subjected to sheer political partisanship.”
He urged intervention, saying, “Well-meaning Nigerians, elder statesmen, elder stateswomen and other notable traditional rulers in the country need to make moves to attempt to stop this shameful drama, and this messing up of the traditional ruler system in Kano.”
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Reflecting on the Tinubu administration’s first year in office, Akande urged the President to take decisive actions in the remaining three years, saying, “The Tinubu administration commemorated its first year in office this week. That means the President and all the governors that took office on May 29, last year now have three more years to go. Mr President, you have three more years to give Nigeria a well-deserved new federal Constitution. Please don’t wait for too long to do that.”
Akande emphasised the urgency of addressing multidimensional poverty and security issues: “A true Federal Constitution will do for the transmission of this space called Nigeria and for the unleashing of the prosperity of our people, more than any other thing.
“Mr President, you have three more years to reduce the painful, heartrending level of multi-dimensional poverty in our country. Mr President, you have three more years to recalibrate the security architecture and attempt to scale down the rampant problem of insecurity in the land.
“Mr President and the APC as a ruling party have three more years to prove to Nigerians that the promises made in that epochal change movement of 2015 to Nigerians were not lies or deception after all,” Akande said.
A notable part of Akande’s address was his critique of the President’s communication team, highlighting the recent incident exchanges where two special advisers issued contradictory statements about the President’s participation in the Joint National Assembly session.
“We must make a special mention today regarding the many fumblings of the political communication team from the Villa up until another embarrassing one this week, to the President’s communication team.
“What happened this week, when two special advisers released contradictory statements on the participation of the President at the Joint National Assembly session is a shame. Such should never happen again. Please, the presidency is not to be run like something below a local government or a startup business,” Akande charged
In his concluding remarks, Akande stressed the urgency of the moment, stating, “We have three more years to get our country on track again, under this current set of political leaders.
“Many state governors, lawmakers, federal and states also have three more years to change the narrative that state governors are emperors, that lawmakers seek their interest only, and that elected officials do not have a public spirit.
“Now, three years is long enough for our political leaders and elected officials to do good for this country. But time waits for no one. Please, make hay while the sun shines.”
Akande, in his impassioned speech on “Inside Sources,” issued a clarion call for Nigeria’s leaders to act decisively and responsibly in the critical years ahead. He warned, “Three years is long enough for our political leaders and elected officials to do good for this country. But time waits for no one. Please, make hay while the sun shines.”
