All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and a former deputy governor of Benue State, Chief Stephen Lawani, says Supreme Court ruling on autonomy for Local Government Councils would require something additional to make that tier of government functional and relevant.

Lawani said in a statement welcoming the Supreme Court judgment that Nigeria labours in vain as far as election into local councils is concerned unless the conduct of elections into the councils is taken away from State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to Lawani, it is not whether INEC has suddenly become a body of angels but about what he calls the defining context of local government councils in Nigeria. Identifying the context as the fear of the party in power in every state, Lawani argued that such a party cannot allow a credible election. “Any election conducted by any SIEC under that defining context is useless if you are talking of anything free and fair”, said Lawani.

By his argument, the Supreme Court ruling is needed but not sufficient in guaranteeing the autonomy of local government councils. What will be the guarantee is if election to all 774 local government councils is held the same day along with election to other political offices. Anything in the form of elections into local government councils before 2027 should, in Lawani’s opinion, be put on hold. He argues for setting a date when local government council elections will be conducted. That way, he argues, “we would be electing all local government chairmen and councilors at the same time with members of the House of Assembly and governors”.

Chief Lawani who is also the Ochagwu of Idomaland puts 2027 as the earliest date when the new election regime will commence, repeating his point that anything between now and then should be put on hold.