Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State said he has directed the state Attorney General to give him a full report on the legal implications of the Supreme Court’s judgement on local government autonomy.
In a statement released Saturday in Abuja by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, the Governor said the local governments in Katsina State already enjoy a significant level of autonomy, reaffirming the state’s commitment to upholding the constitution.
Radda assured that Katsina State is a law-abiding state and would operate under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said: “I did not call you all today to interpret the judgment. Katsina State is a law-abiding state and will operate under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have asked the state Attorney General to give me a full report on the legal implications of the Supreme Court’s decision.”
“As you know, I was once the chairman of Charanchi Local Government during the administration of our beloved President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. I was involved in the day-to-day administration of my local government, and I am fully aware of the challenges and pains most of you are facing.
He acknowledged the potential challenges ahead but expressed optimism about the state’s preparedness: “We are facing various socio-economic challenges coupled with insecurity in our frontline local governments. When I took office in 2023, over 20 local governments were ravaged by insecurity. Our concerted efforts have reduced insecurity to the fringes of the frontline local governments.”
While highlighting his administration’s forward-thinking approach to local government administration, Radda noted that the state plans to conduct elections for new local government chairmen at the expiration of the tenure of incumbent chairmen.
“We have already carried out party primaries in line with electoral best practices, and some current chairmen will return through a democratic process. In this dispensation, we are most likely the only state to transition from one democratically elected local government council to another,” he said.