The Osun State House of Assembly, on Monday, passed for second reading two bills relating to the local government electoral laws in the state.
The development comes weeks after the judgment of the Supreme Court upholding the financial autonomy of the local governments.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the bills titled: Osun State Local Government Areas Creation and Administration Amendment (No. 7) Bill, 2024; and Osun Independent Electoral Commission Amendment (No.1) Bill, 2024, scaled second reading after their policy thrusts were read.
While reading the policy thrust of the Osun Independent Electoral Commission Amendment (No.1) Bill, the Deputy Majority Leader, Adekunle Oladimeji, said the amendment bill was in line with the 1999 Constitution and Supreme Court’s judgment.
Oladimeji said the creation of the Osun Independent Electoral Commission to conduct, organise and supervise all elections into local councils in the state was in line with Section 197 of the 1999 Constitution.
Oladimeji said that the amendment to the OSIEC law was necessary now to avoid conflict with the Supreme Court judgment and to strengthen the local government system so people at the grassroots could enjoy the dividend of democracy.
Similarly, during the reading of the policy thrust of the Osun State Local Government Areas Creation and Administration Amendment, Mr Adewumi Adeyemi, lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency, stated that Section 7(1) of the Constitution provided for the existence and running of local government by elected officials.
Adeyemi added that Section 8 of the Constitution, however, empowered the state Assemblies to ensure, through enacted laws, that local government administration exists and their financing is guaranteed.
He said the Osun Local Government Amendment Bill would, when passed into law, take care of the local government structure and compositions of executives.