Rivers APC commends NASS’ decision to grant LGAs autonomy

Rivers APC commends NASS’ decision to grant LGAs autonomy

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has applauded the decision of the National Assembly to amend Section 124 of the nation’s constitution to grant full autonomy to the 774 local governments of Nigeria.

Chairman of the APC caretaker committee in the state, Chief Tony Okocha, disclosed this yesterday in a statement issued in Port Harcourt.

Okocha described the NASS decision as a welcome development, adding that with the amendment, undue interference of state governments in the running of local government administration in Nigeria would be finally settled.

“The APC in Rivers State is fully in support of the granting of full autonomy to the 774 local governments of Nigeria with the amendment of Section 124 of the nation’s constitution by the National Assembly, making it a full third tier of government.

“To us as a political party, this is a welcome development. With this amendment, the undue interference of the state governments in the running of local government administration in Nigeria has been finally settled, making the government at that level fully independent,” Okocha stated.

The party also lauded the removal of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) from the Constitution, which has therefore vested the powers to conduct council elections on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).