{"id":2714,"date":"2025-10-22T11:31:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T10:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fortistv.com\/ltv\/?p=2714"},"modified":"2025-10-22T11:31:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T10:31:36","slug":"agbakoba-calls-for-devolution-to-strengthen-nigerias-democracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fortistv.com\/ltv\/2025\/10\/22\/agbakoba-calls-for-devolution-to-strengthen-nigerias-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Agbakoba Calls for Devolution to Strengthen Nigeria\u2019s Democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Abuja, Nigeria<\/strong> \u2013 Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, has called for the urgent decentralisation of Nigeria\u2019s governance structure, warning that the country\u2019s democracy will continue to struggle unless power is devolved from the federal government to states and local councils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a policy paper titled \u201cDevolution is the Solution \u2013 Foundational Reform Agenda for Nigeria\u2019s Transformation\u201d<\/em>, Agbakoba criticised the 1999 Constitution for failing to empower local governments, citing lack of financial autonomy and over-dependence on the federal and state governments as key issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe structure of our Constitution does not empower local governments to perform,\u201d he stated. \u201cThey are financially handicapped and politically subjugated. Without fiscal autonomy, no meaningful development can happen at the grassroots.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agbakoba argued that the current system of government overly centralises authority in Abuja, leaving state and local governments with limited control over their own affairs. He said this has hindered innovation, weakened regional competitiveness, and contributed to the country\u2019s ongoing economic and security challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo make democracy work for Nigerians, we must devolve power closer to the people,\u201d he said. \u201cEach level of government should have clear constitutional roles and financial independence to deliver on their mandates. Devolution will not only deepen democracy but also strengthen accountability and national integration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legal expert urged the National Assembly to prioritise comprehensive constitutional reforms that would address what he described as a fundamental imbalance in Nigeria\u2019s power structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He concluded that true federalism\u2014characterised by inclusivity, efficiency, and equitable resource control\u2014is essential for Nigeria\u2019s long-term stability and development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abuja, Nigeria \u2013 Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, has called for the urgent decentralisation of Nigeria\u2019s governance structure, warning that the country\u2019s democracy will continue to struggle unless power is devolved from the federal government to states and local councils. In a policy…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t