Barrister Sharafadeen Alli has declared support for local government autonomy.
Naijanewshub.com.ng reports that All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District in the 25th February election, Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli has declared that local government exist only on paper under the present administration in the state.
Alli, a former Secretary to Oyo state government, made this disclosure on Friday, while featuring at a guest platform organised by the Correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Oyo state council.
Alli, who said that he is in the race to attract more federal presence to the senatorial district, promised to support local government autonomy when elected.
The former Chairman of Ibadan North Local government, while speaking said that local government under the present administration in the state, cannot do anything because they are existing only on the paper.
He maintained that it is a known fact that local government is dead in the state, because they cannot execute any project on their own.
Alli said, “It is a known fact that local government are dead in Oyo state. This has been admitted by the governor. He gave them N10m and he said that they did not do anything with it.
“We have local government during Lam Adesina, Chief Rasidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala and even Abiola Ajimobi and it has not been like this. Local government are just existing by number, they do not have any power to do anything.
“The primary healthcare centres are not functioning in the state, despite the fact that certain amount of money are budgeted for primary healthcare.
“People are now taking malaria to UCH. Something that should be treated at the primary healthcare centres, because local government are not functioning.
“The local government cannot do anything, as far as I am concerned, there is no local government in Oyo state, they are just existing on paper.
“I will support local government autonomy when I gets to the national assembly. I want to attract more federal presence to Oyo south senatorial district. All the senators that have represented the district have tried and I am going there to do better. I know what our people needs. I leave with our people and I know what they need”.