By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
SENATOR Sunday Steve Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi at the National Assembly has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approach to the Supreme Court over Local Government Autonomy is to free the people from slavery.
Giving account of his stewardship at the National Assembly during a Media Parley at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Lokoja on Saturday, Karimi said all Nigerians must support the President in his effort to free the people.
He described the Supreme Court judgement granting full autonomy to the Councils as the President’s trump card to legally and holistically address the Local Government challenges once and for all.
“That is why the Attorney General of the Federation went to Supreme Court to institute that case”, he said.
The Kogi West Senator emphasized the importance of Local Government Autonomy, stating the Attorney General’s Supreme Court case, midwived by President Tinubu, demonstrates the Federal Government’s support.
“If the Federal Government doesn’t want Local Government autonomy, they will not institute that case. And we in the National Assembly are fully in support of Local Government Autonomy”, Karimi pointed out.
He stressed that the National Assembly was in full support of the autonomy, saying that collective advocacy is crucial for its realization: “if we keep quiet, that autonomy will not stand.”
Senator Karimi revealed that leadership of the National Assembly including, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, were in full support of the Local Government Autonomy.
“Local Government Autonomy must come to stay. The fight is not for the President and National Assembly alone. That fight is for me and you. Because if we keep quiet, that autonomy will not stand. But if we talk, it will stand.
“Some people are not interested in this Local Government Autonomy. Because that is the way they are talking and talking and talking. Bu what belongs to the people must go back to the people.
“What is happening is that they differ from each other on its implementation. If you go to some states now, they are already enjoying it. I don’t know whether we are enjoying it fully here (Kogi) yet.
“The President brought about that case to free the people from slavery. That is my interest in President Tinubu. Somebody asked me why am I backing him? I will back him and I will back him and back him continuously. Because the man has the interest of the people.
“All this hardship we are talking about, it is not in his interest for us to have the situation we have now. But before we can get to the promised land, this hardship must come. But it will not last.
“Let’s free the people from slavery. Let what belongs to the people go back to the people. That is what the President is out to do by instituting the case in the Supreme Court.
“And let me tell you, Nobody has power to override that Supreme Court judgment. Anybody that is doing it, is doing it at his own peril”, he said. (Ends)