Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose argues that local government autonomy in Nigeria cannot effectively function due to several reasons:
- Governor’s Influence: Fayose asserts that governors wield significant influence over local government affairs, including the selection of local government chairpersons. Without the governor’s support, no one can emerge as a council chairman. This dependency undermines true autonomy.
- State House of Assembly Control: He highlights that state legislatures control and restrict local government activities, further hindering autonomy. State lawmakers oversee and regulate local government actions, thereby limiting their independence.
- Administrative Inefficiencies: Fayose criticizes the inefficiencies within local government administrations. He claims that many council officials do not take their duties seriously, often absent from work, which compromises service delivery and accountability.
- Political Interference: According to Fayose, political interference is rampant at the local government level. He suggests that council officials are beholden to the governor and state lawmakers, which undermines their ability to assert autonomy or act independently.
- Operational Challenges: He points out operational challenges within local governments, such as absenteeism among staff and lack of accountability in fund management. These issues further erode the effectiveness of granting autonomy.
Overall, Fayose’s perspective underscores the entrenched challenges facing local government autonomy in Nigeria, highlighting political dynamics and administrative shortcomings as major obstacles to effective decentralization and governance at the grassroots level.