Lawmaker, lawyer, commend National Assembly over amendments

A member of the Osun House of Assembly, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has said the step taken by the National Assembly to allow INEC conduct local government election would ensure a credible electoral process.

Oyintiloye said on Friday in Osogbo that with the amendments, governors would no longer influence the outcome of the electoral process.

The lawmaker also commended the National Assembly on the idea of independent candidacy, describing it as a welcome development which would allow popular candidates without platforms to contest.

“We have notable professionals who find it difficult to emerge through party structures because they cannot afford to spend lavishly to win primary elections.

“But with this amendment, they are free to contest independently.

“Nigeria is now gradually maturing politically and the outcome of the process implies that leaders are listening and responding to salient issues through legislative action,’’ he said.

Also reacting to the amendments, the Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association (YYSA) commended the National Assembly on the “Not Too Young To Rule Bill.’’

The President of the association, Mr Olalekan Hammed, said Nigerian youths had been marginalised for so long.

According to him, the bill will correct youth marginalisation by allowing young persons to aspire for political office.

”Nigerian youths have been in the backyard of power for so long.

“Young people between the age bracket 18-40 make up of over 60 per cent of the country’s population, whereas we have less than 10 percent of them occupying various political offices in Nigeria”, he said.

A constitutional lawyer, Mr Jimmy Jones, said the abrogation of the State and Local Government Joint Account by the Senate was a positive development.

Jones said financial autonomy for local governments would also allow the councils to access direct to funds from the Federal Government for development purposes as well as prompt payment of salaries.

”When the local governments are fully granted autonomy, it makes the issue of owing salaries and inability to execute developmental projects a thing of the past.

“It will rather bring about rapid development and prompt payment of local government staff salaries,” Jones said.