Akwa Ibom APC, Ogun ADP promise to grant councils autonomy in 2019

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has promised to grant autonomy to local councils in the state in 2019.The party said it would give the local councils the free hands to enforce those powers granted them by the constitution.

The APC spokesperson, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, who spoke with journalists yesterday at the campaign office of the party, described the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) argument that such could not be possible unless the constitution is amended as an attempt to discredit the new vision of development being propounded by their governorship candidate.

Also, a former Speaker of House of Representatives and Ogun State governorship candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Dimeji Bankole, yesterday pledged to make local council autonomy a priority if elected the next governor of the state in 2019. Bankole, who stated this in Ewekoro Local Council of the state, described the local government system as the fastest means through which “dividends of democracy” could get to the people at the grassroots.

He decried the “undue interference” in the running of local government administration by state governments, adding that the development could encourage restiveness among the youths.“The local government is meant to be autonomous from the state governments. If I am elected governor of the state in 2019, my administration will ensure local government autonomy; I will return power to the people.”