BREAKING: Senate Moves to Amend Constitution Following Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy  

BREAKING: Senate Moves to Amend Constitution Following Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy

 

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has announced that the Senate will amend the constitution to ensure the implementation of a Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments.

 

Ijaw Leaders Meeting: How Governor Fubara Outsmarted Wike  

 

Akpabio made this statement during a meeting on Thursday in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, while receiving former members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) who had rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio expressed his appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the Supreme Court’s intervention in local government autonomy. “I thank President Bola Tinubu for finding a way to bring the much-needed autonomy to local governments through the intervention of the Supreme Court,” Akpabio said.

 

The Senate President emphasized that his leadership would work to amend the constitution to ensure that the court’s ruling is fully implemented without any room for manipulation. “The Senate, under my leadership, will tinker with the constitution to ensure that the judgment is fully implemented without any loopholes for manipulation by practitioners,” he added.

 

APC Unity in Akwa Ibom

 

Akpabio also addressed the return of former NNPP members to the APC in Akwa Ibom State, where the party has been experiencing internal divisions. Speaking about the return of party members, Akpabio stressed the importance of unity, stating that change is a constant in life. He reminisced about his early struggles with the party and how his move to the APC in 2018 had been met with resistance from some party leaders.

 

“The only thing that is permanent in life is change,” Akpabio said. “Before my coming into the APC, the party never won even a councillorship seat in the state… I joined the APC so that we would be linked to the center, and I thank God today that that dream finally came to pass in 2023.”

 

Welcoming the returnees, Akpabio expressed his joy at their decision to rejoin the party, urging them to stay united and work together for the good of the party. “Now that you are back, may God bless you and grant the progressive desires of your hearts,” he prayed.

 

Factional Divisions and Efforts to Resolve Crisis

 

Akwa Ibom’s APC chapter has been plagued by internal divisions, particularly after the 2023 general elections. The party has been split into factions, with disagreements over leadership roles and direction. Former senator Ita Enang, who chairs the party’s local government elections campaign committee, acknowledged the divisions but noted that efforts were being made to reconcile the factions.

 

Enang said the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, which recognized one of the factions, has paved the way for unity within the party. He added that the members were now ready to work together.

 

However, despite efforts to unify the party, some key figures were notably absent from the launch of the party’s local government election campaign at Ikot Ekpene stadium on Wednesday, suggesting that lingering issues may still need to be addressed.

 

As the APC in Akwa Ibom State attempts to heal from its internal rifts, the party’s focus now shifts to preparing for upcoming local government elections, hoping to present a united front.