Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Toyin Amuzu, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of paralysing local government administrations in Ogun State.
Amuzu said the only time Ogun State had a functioning local government system was from 2003 to 2011 when the PDP was in power in the State.
According to Amuzu, the local governments have since 2011 become a shadow of themselves after the PDP left office.
Amuzu spoke during his tour of Ward 14 in the Onikolobo-Adigbe area of Abeokuta South Local Government.
The Egba chief said he would support local government autonomy as the closest tier of government to the people, to facilitate development.
Amuzu maintained that state governments, through their overbearing influence, had paralysed the local government system across the nation.
This, he said, laid the foundation for the current insecurity and infrastructural deficit among others.
Amuzu expressed concern that the Gateway State is also one of the states where the local government system is not functional, saying “the third tier of government is as good as dead in Ogun State.”
He maintained that grassroots democracy is needed to give Nigerians the opportunity to participate and determine their destiny through the ballot.
“The last time Ogun people witnessed a functional local government system was during a PDP tenure when the local governments were given the opportunity to work.
“Since then the dictatorial attitude of the governors who are more interested in collecting the local government allocations have led to the systemic decay and destruction of the local government,” he stated.
Amuzu added that the ongoing constitutional amendment seeking to allocate more powers to the local government was a step in the right direction, saying he would work hard to ensure the constitution is amended to accommodate local government autonomy when elected.
He emphasised that an effective local council authority would address the challenges of poverty, insecurity, hunger, illiteracy and others.