NADECO chieftain tasks Tinubu on constitutional recognition of 37 Lagos LCDAs
The secretary-general of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Ayo Opadokun, has urged President Bola Tinubu to push for the constitutional recognition of the 37 local council development areas (LDCAs) in Lagos State.
In an interview in Lagos on Sunday, Mr Opadokun, a chieftain of Afenifere, said the LCDAs should be recognised as full-fledged local government areas.
”What I believe that the incumbent president should do is to ensure that the 37 LCDAs have constitutional backing,” said Mr Opadokun.
“Tinubu should make sure the local development areas, which former President Olusegun Obasanjo described as inchoate, make it into the constitution.”
In 2003, Mr Tinubu, the then governor of Lagos, created the 37 LCDAs, which the constitution has not recognised.
The LCDAs include Agbado/Oke-Odo, Agboyi/Ketu, Orile-Agege LCDA Ajeromi-Ifelodun,Egbeda-Akowonjo, Apapa-Iganmu, Ayobo/Ipaja, Badagry West, Coker /Aguda, Egbe/ Idimu.
Some others are Ejigbo, Iba, Odi Olowo/Ojuwoye, Igando/Ikotun, Igbogbo/Bayeku, and Itire /Ikate.
Mr Opadokun said despite Lagos having an estimated population of about 23 million people, the state had just 20 LGAs.
The chieftain said making the LCDAs full-fledged LGAs would bring the government closer to the people of the state.
Mr Opadokun called on the president to engage the National Assembly in making the LCDAs constitutional, adding that this would give the people a sense of belonging.
According to him, being the most populous state in Nigeria and also the economic nerve centre of the country, Lagos also deserves special status.
“The president should act on that and convince the National Assembly to make moves to ensure they have recognition.
“Once those 37 LCDAS turn to full-fledged local governments, the government will come directly to the grassroots and the grassroots will have a sense of belonging,” he reiterated.
(NAN)
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