Interrogating Governance and Constitutional Issues of Local Government System in Nigeria
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Published:
May 15, 2019
Keywords:
Administration, Development, Interference, Local Government, Local Government Reform
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Abstract
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, contains some provisions for the creation of local government as the third tier of government whose objective is to ensure effective, measurable and efficient service delivery to the people, while bringing government closer to people at the rural communities in order to attain the transformation of lives in these communities. However, local governments in Nigeria are facing various difficulties which have brought to the fore the question of local government autonomy. The experience with many Local Government Areas is that their states starve them of the statutory grants, and in the process deny them the opportunity of rendering essential services as required. The major concern of this paper is identifying these difficulties and the factors responsible for them. In achieving this, the paper relies on descriptive approach. The conclusion of the paper is that problems confronting local governments in Nigeria are multifarious, and the solutions for them should be adequate and practical to evolve into a viable and development-oriented third tier of government.
Article Details
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Diekola, O. J., Shiyanbade, B. W., Adeyeni, O. B., Wahab, Y. B., & Ambali, S. A. (2019). Interrogating Governance and Constitutional Issues of Local Government System in Nigeria. African Journal of Stability & Development, 12(1), 25-53. https://doi.org/10.53982/ajsd.2019.1201.02-j
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Enhance Administrative Devolution and Local Autonomy? International
Review of Management and Business Research. Vol. 4, Issue 3, 931-944 http:/
/www.irmbrjournal.com/papers/1446118352.pdf
Ugwu, S. C. (2000). Issues in Local Government and Urban Administration in
Nigeria. Enugu: Echrisi and Co.
Wheare, K. C. (1963). Federal Government. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Government in Nigeria. Paper Prepared for Presentation at the Third Biennial
National Conference on Community Development in Nigeria Held at Grand
Hotel, Asaba, November, 20-24.
Adamolekun, L. (1979). The idea of Local Government as a third level Government.
Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books.
Adamolekun, L. (2002). Public Administration in Africa, Lagos: Spectrum Books.
Adedeji, A. (2000). People-Centred Democracy in Nigeria and Strategic Studies.
Ijebu-Ode: Heinemann Educational Books Plc.
Diekola, O. J., Shiyanbade, B. W., Adeyeni, O. B., Wahab, Y. B.
Adediran, O. A., (2014). Local Governments in Nigerian Inter-Governmental System,
Journal of Politics, Local Governance, and Development. Vol. 7 No. 1, 34562
Adesopo, A. A. (2008). A Study of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in Nigeria,
1999 - 2007, Unpublished Ph.D. The thesis of the Department of Public
Administration, Faculty of Administration, O.A.U., Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Adeyemi, O. O. (2013). Local Government and the Challenges of Service Delivery:
The Nigeria Experience. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, Vol.15,
(7)
Agagu, A. A. (1997). Local Government. In D. Kolawole, (ed.), Readings in Political
Science. Ibadan, Dekaal.
Agba, M. S., Akwara, A. F. & Idu, A. Y. (2013). Local Government and Social Service
Delivery in Nigeria: A Content Analysis. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary
Studies, Vol. 2 (2).
Aghayere, V. O. (1997). Dominant Issues in the Nigerian Local Government System:
A Contemporary Focus. Lagos: Imprint Services, 17
Agugu, A. A. (2004). Continuity and Change in Local Government Administration
and the Political of Underdevelopment. In: A. Agugu, and R. Ola (eds.),
Development Agenda of Nigeria State. Ibadan: Fiag Publishers.
Agunloye, R. (2012). Local Government Administration. Lagos: Third World Media
Ltd.
Ajayi, K. (2000). Theory and Practice of Local Government. Ado-Ekiti: University
of Ado-Ekiti Press.
Apata, Z. O. and Yemi, A. (2011): Creation of new Local Government in Kogi
State: Problems and Prospects in Yagha and Ijumu Examples. Kogi: Crestill
Publishers Ltd.
Appadorai, A. (1975). The Substance of Politics. New Delhi: Oxford University
Press.
Aransi, I. O. & Adeyemi, O. O. (2012). Survey of Local Government in Nigeria. In I.
O. Aransi, (ed.), Local Government in Nigeria: Essay for Professor Oladimeji
Aborisade. USA: Warren Publishing Inc.
Bernick, E. M. & Bernick, L. E. (2008). Executive-Legislative Relations; Where You
Sit Really Does Matter. Social Science Quarterly. Vol. 89.No. 4. pp: 969986.
Cameron, C. M. (1994). Intergovernmental Relations in South Africa: The Case of
Cape Town
Chukwuemeka, E., Ugwuanyi, B. I., Ndubuisi-Okolo, P., & Onuoha, C. E. (2014).
Nigeria Local Government: A Discourse on the Theoretical Imperatives in a
Governmental System. African Research Review: An International
Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia. Vol. 8 (2), Serial No. 33, pp. 305-324 City
Council. Journal for Public Administration, Vol. 29, No. 1.
Ekpo, A. H. (2008). Decentralization and Service Delivery: A Frame Work. Prepared
for the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Nairobi, Kenya.
Available at www.aercafrica.org.
Falola, et. al. (1991): History of Nigeria: Nigeria in the Nineteenth Century. Lagos:
Longman.
Fasagba, J. Y. (2010). De-Constitutionalising? Democratic Governance in Nigeria:
Assessing Executive-Legislative Handling of Executive Power Vacuum in the
Fourth Republic. Africana. pp: 7 - 44.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (1976): Guidelines on 1976 Local Government Reforms.
Kaduna: Government Printer.
Heywood, A. (2007). Politics (3 rd Edition). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Irabor, P. O. (2011). A Critical Assessment on Nigerian Federalism: Path to a True
Federal System. Being a Paper Presented at the 4th Annual National Conference
Organised by Colleges of Education Academics Staff Union (COEASU) Federal
College of Education (Technical) Potiskum Chapter Held at I.B.B Hall F.C.E (T)
Potiskum, Yobe State 31st October, 2011-4 th November 2011.
Lawal, S. (2000). Local Government administration in Nigeria: A practical approach.
In K. Ajayi (ed.), Theory and practice of Local Government. Ado-Ekiti:
University of Ado-Ekiti Press
Nasir, A. (2012): Local Governments: The missing tier of government, Nigeria
village square. Retrieved from http/www.nigeriavillagesquare.com Nwabueze,
B. O. (1982). A Constitutional History of Nigeria. London: Longman.
Ojong, M. O. (2002): Introduction to Local Government Administration in Nigeria.
Calabar: Jerry Commercial Productions.
Okoosi-Simbine, A. T. (2010). Understanding the Role and Challenges of the
Legislature in the Fourth Republic: The Case of Oyo State House of Assembly.
Nigeria Journal of Legislative Affairs, Vol. 3 No. 1& 2. pp: 1-27.
Ola, R. O. F. & Tonwe, D. A. (2009). Local administration and Local Government
in Nigeria. Lagos: Amfitop Nig. Ltd.
Omotosho, F. (1998). Electoral Politics under the Abacha Regime. In Kolawole, D.
& N. O. Mimiko, (eds.), Political Democratisation and Deregulation in Nigeria under the Abacha Administration: 1993-1998. Ado-Ekiti: University
of Ado-Ekiti Press
Orewa, G. O. & Adewumuni (2001). Local Government in Nigeria: The Challenging
Scene. Lagos: Ethiope Publishing Cooperation.
Shiyanbade, B. W., Ganiyu, A. & Olajide, S. O. (2016). Legislative-Executive
Relations and Democratic Governance in Nigeria. Journal of Public
Administration and Management (LASU-JPAM), Ojo: Lagos: Lagos State
University, Nigeria, Vol. 2. No. 2, 83-105
Taiwo, I. O. & Fajingbesi, A. A. (2004). Fiscal Federalism and Democratic
Governance in Nigeria. Ibadan: National Centre for Economic Management
and Administration (Nigeria).
The Federal Republic of Nigeria. 1979 Constitution of Nigeria. Lagos: Ministry of
Information.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. Lagos: Government Press.
The Orderly Society Trust, OST (2010). Making Local Government Work for the
Poor: A Review of Landscape and Challenges. Lagos: OST Press
The United Nations Office for Public Administration, (1961). Public Administration
in Developing and Transition Economies. Working Paper No. 3245
Thobias, R. M. & Eleuter, G. M. (2015). Administrative Legal Framework of
CentralLocal Government Relationship in Mainland Tanzania: Is it Tailored to
Enhance Administrative Devolution and Local Autonomy? International
Review of Management and Business Research. Vol. 4, Issue 3, 931-944 http:/
/www.irmbrjournal.com/papers/1446118352.pdf
Ugwu, S. C. (2000). Issues in Local Government and Urban Administration in
Nigeria. Enugu: Echrisi and Co.
Wheare, K. C. (1963). Federal Government. Oxford: Oxford University Press.