Obasanjo Aborted Grassroots Dev’t In Lagos — Tinubu

 

President Bola Tinubu has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of stifling grassroots development during his tenure as governor of Lagos State by opposing the creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

Speaking during his first Presidential Media Chat (PMC) in Lagos on Monday night, Tinubu recalled the significant challenges he faced while attempting to improve local governance through the establishment of 37 LCDAs to meet the demands of the growing population in Lagos.

“Today, we have autonomy for local government. Some of you will remember my lamentation and my argument with Obasanjo about the need for grassroots development when I created 37 local council development areas for Lagos State,” Tinubu said.

The Struggle for Grassroots Development

Defending the creation of the LCDAs, Tinubu emphasized their positive impact on local governance. “Go there now, you will see development, you will see rapid contact with the people at the grassroots. That is where people live; they are not living with me in Abuja, except bureaucrats,” he noted.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Tinubu’s initiative, launched during his governorship in the early 2000s, aimed to address Lagos State’s growing population and enhance service delivery at the grassroots level. However, it sparked a major constitutional conflict with the federal government under Obasanjo, which insisted that the 37 LCDAs were outside the framework of Nigeria’s 774 constitutionally recognized local government areas.

Financial Retaliation and Federalism Test

In response, the federal government withheld Lagos State’s local government funds, plunging the councils into financial difficulty and hindering their ability to execute developmental projects. The standoff escalated into a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Lagos State and ordered the release of the withheld funds.

Despite the court ruling, the federal government delayed disbursing the funds, creating further challenges for grassroots governance in Lagos. The incident became a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s federalism, highlighting tensions between state and federal powers.

Moving Nigeria Forward

Tinubu reflected on the lessons learned and expressed his determination to drive Nigeria’s progress. “Well, I will say I am drawing water from a dry well, and Nigeria is moving forward,” he remarked, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to grassroots development and autonomy for local governments.

The President’s comments highlight his long-standing advocacy for robust local governance as a catalyst for national development.