Nigeria's Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, announced a legislative move aimed at enhancing local governance in the country. Speaking in Uyo during a meeting with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio revealed that the Senate plans to amend the constitution to enforce the Supreme Court's ruling on local government autonomy.
Akpabio expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for addressing the issue through judicial means. "I thank President Bola Tinubu for looking for a way to bring the all-needed autonomy to the local governments through the intervention of the Supreme Court," he said. He emphasized that under his leadership, the Senate would ensure the judgment is fully implemented without any loopholes for manipulation by practitioners.
The announcement comes as a part of broader political dynamics within the APC. The meeting also saw the return of former party members who had previously supported Senator John James Akpanudoedehe before his defection to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). Welcoming them back, Akpabio stated, "On behalf of the party leadership, I welcome you back. I am happy that you have all returned to the party where you belonged."
The move to grant local governments more independence is seen as a significant step in improving governance and decentralization in Nigeria. It aims to empower local authorities, making them more effective in delivering services to their communities. Eteubong Alex Umoh, Obong Kufre Akpan, and Mrs. Roseline Eyang, speaking on behalf of the returnees, affirmed their loyalty to the APC and Akpabio's leadership. "We never left the APC. We never joined any other party because we know you as the leader of the party in the state," they said.
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