By Milcah Tanimu
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has expressed his support for a single term for elected office holders and opposed the idea of local government autonomy. Speaking at The Platform Nigeria, a Democracy Day event organized by Covenant Nation in Lagos, Soludo argued that autonomy for local governments contradicts the principles of true federalism.
Soludo proposed a single-term tenure for politicians, suggesting it could last between four to seven years. He believes this would allow leaders to concentrate on governance rather than re-election campaigns. He emphasized the importance of reforming Nigeria’s political and economic structures to ensure sustainable development.
Addressing the current economic challenges, Soludo acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu inherited an economy burdened by the poor decisions of previous administrations. He stressed the need for fiscal prudence and warned against printing more money, which could lead to inflation. Soludo urged Tinubu to take decisive actions to address the economic issues for the benefit of future generations.
Soludo also rejected the notion of granting autonomy to local governments, arguing that it would be a step backward from true federalism. He pointed out that in a true federal system, local governments do not receive funds directly from the central government, as seen in the United States. He suggested that each state should have the authority to design its local government system.
Furthermore, Soludo called for significant changes in Nigeria’s federal structure. He proposed consolidating the National Assembly into a single body with a limited number of representatives per state to reduce costs. He also recommended devolving more responsibilities from the federal government to the states, allowing them to manage a larger portion of their revenues and customize their local governance systems.
The event, themed ‘Democracy and the Free Market Economy’, featured prominent figures such as former Minister of Works Babatunde Fashola, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto Matthew Hassan-Kukah, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara.