Opinion
Any Use For Local Governments?
Those who came up with the idea of three tiers of government must have thought of the convenience in administration of government. Just as the separation of power among the three arms of government – the executive, legislature and the judiciary serves as a check on the abuse of power, the three tiers of government – the Federal, State and local governments must have been conceived to pave way for easy and convenient administration.
In particular, the creation of local government is, by all intents and purposes, to bring government and development nearer to the people at the grassroots. Regrettably however, this objective, worthwhile as it is, appears to have suffered setback in recent times. Unlike in the past when local government areas were a beehive of developmental projects, the modern day local government councils add little or no value to the lives of the people at the grassroots.
In the past, local government used to be the centre of attraction. Due to its viability and effectiveness in terms of developmental projects, the people at the grassroots hardly depended on State for anything. Those were the era when those who presided over the affairs of the local governments were men and women with conscience, who were always conscious of the needs and plights of their people.
With little resources at their disposal, the olden day local government councils were able to embark on meaningful projects that touched positively on the lives of the citizenry. Apart from electricity which used to be the sole responsibility of the State and Federal governments, virtually all other developmental projects such as roads, boreholes for portable water, fertilizers for farmers at highly subsidized rate, local health care delivery among others were always provided by the local government councils.
Today’s third tier of government appears to be a drainpipe. In spite of high allocations that trickle down to them on monthly basis, only a handful of those at the helm of affairs of the local government councils can point at reasonable developmental projects as their stewardship.
Just two days ago, precisely on Wednesday, the Rivers State governor, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi frowned at the poor performance of local government chairmen in the State. He said that only five out of the 23 local government bosses have recorded appreciable achievements. Yet, the local government areas are seriously crying for attention and development.
With poverty biting the people very hard, and the social infrastructures at their epileptic stage, and in some areas almost non-existing, some of the youths in the rural areas could not resist the temptations of constituting themselves into security threats to government and the companies operating in their areas. The Niger Delta States are the worst hit.
In the Niger Delta areas, there are several cases too numerous to mention of non-performance at the local government level, with many of the local government chairmen using the state of insecurity in the region to siphon funds meant to develop the local government areas. Ironically, the major reasons for restiveness in some areas are mass poverty and underdevelopment.
Get me right, the poor performance recorded by successive administrations at the local government level is not limited to the Niger Delta region. It cuts across the nation. Even in some States, local government chairmen connive with the State governors to enrich themselves and to line up the pockets of their political godfathers and supporters, using white elephant projects as a cover-up.
It is in view of this that many Nigerians have written off the local governments in Nigeria as a useless, worthless tier of government that has no positive bearing on the lives of the citizenry.
And if truly the local government, as provided in the Nigerian constitution, was created to address the developmental problems at the grassroots, why then is this state of under-development in the rural areas? Why has the long hand of justice that usually catches up with other political office holders not extended to some of the smart alecs that were once at the helms of our local governments? Or is it that they did not steal enough to warrant their arrest and detention?
I think it is high time we began to probe the activities of those who preside over the affairs of our local governments. There is the need for all the State Houses of Assembly in the country to embark on the assessment tour of the projects being executed by the local government councils in their States with a view to checking the financial recklessness and high level corruption that have made local governments in Nigerian a drainpipe and corruptible tier of government.
Boye Salau
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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