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Constitutional, legal and political problems of local government in Nigeria
Author(s) -
Smith B. C.,
Owojaiye G. S.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
public administration and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-162X
pISSN - 0271-2075
DOI - 10.1002/pad.4230010303
Subject(s) - constitutionality , devolution (biology) , constitution , constitutional amendment , local government , legislature , state (computer science) , public administration , politics , political science , law , government (linguistics) , sociology , linguistics , philosophy , algorithm , anthropology , computer science , human evolution
The new Nigerian local government system was clearly intended by its creators to be a representative and democractic system of devolution. The speed with which elected councils have been dissolved and replaced by caretaker committees and state appointees contrasts strangely with the constitutional provision that there should be a system of local government by democratically elected local councils. The constitutionality of dissolution has been confused with the constitutionality of further local government reform. Dissolution should be seen as an emergency measure to be used rarely in cases of proven maladministration by a local government. Further reform and reorganization of a state's system of local government should be regarded as a legitimate power of the state legislature. The role given by the Constitution to local government should not be interpreted as entrenching the system. Constitutional amendment is not required should further reform be necessary.