Nigeria’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has reaffirmed the parliament’s commitment to granting full autonomy to Local Government Areas (LGAs) and reforming the judiciary. Speaking at the “Learning, Dissemination and Inception” event in Abuja, Abbas emphasized the importance of empowering local governments to serve their communities effectively and restoring public trust in grassroots governance.
Key Reforms:
- Local Government Autonomy: Ensuring full financial and operational autonomy for LGAs to strengthen democratic institutions and promote a more just society.
- Judicial Reform: Enhancing the judiciary’s independence, accountability, and efficiency through constitutional amendments and stricter oversight of judicial appointments.
Abbas praised the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) for their support in advancing democracy and governance in Nigeria. He also acknowledged the National Assembly’s efforts to increase women’s participation in politics.
Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director of PLAC, noted that Nigeria’s democracy has made progress despite challenges. He appreciated the FCDO’s work in strengthening democracy and highlighted the need for continuous capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships.
Nwankwo emphasized that even advanced democracies face challenges and encouraged Nigeria to learn from these experiences. He commended the National Assembly’s efforts to promote women’s participation in politics, citing the special seats consideration in the current bill as a positive step.
The event, themed “From PERL to PACE: Learning to Sustain Democratic Governance in Nigeria,” aimed to reflect on the successes of the FCDO’s PERL project and identify valuable lessons for future progress.
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