JOINT STATE AND LOCAL ACCOUNTS

JAAC, JAAC , JAAC , may Allah SWT give easy passage to the Bill to disband the unholy alliance of the cheating State Governors to the Local Government Autonomy. Let's see how the thieving Governors are systematically  stopped  the misconduct and outright  theft of / to our localities.

I wrote a document on the disbandment of the JAAC account was published on page 43 of The Daily Trust Newspaper of the 13th October . The document was highly edited.

The news of the Bill passing its second reading on the  at Federal House gives me the courage and impetus to bear my mind without inhibitions.

Hahaha if it's disbanded succeeds Wallahi even N20,000. some State Governors can  not afford  to dash out anymore, no more a primitive acquisition of wealth, can imagine how many marabouts are on their mats to stop the lawful act. Please Allah SWT don't answer them. Allah SWT be with the masses , Ya' ayunas.

The Article was highly edited, this was my version .

Nigerian and indeed Northern Nigerian leaders have a vital role in policy making prioritization to empower the impoverished citizens , initiate sustainable policies that shall affect  Economic Development and safe guard the future of the Region and Nigeria as whole. As the saying goes "every journey begins with the first single step"

8) JOINT STATE AND LOCAL ACCOUNTS: Nigeria adopted Federalism Constitution, three distinct powers of Authorities, the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. The same Federalism adopted three distinct powers of governance, the Central, the States and the Local Governments as autonomous units. The Constitution further enshrined percentage (%) of Revenue Allocation Formula to the letter Z. to all the three tiers of governance. The simple common sensical wisdom is to trickle down development, management and welfare to the lowest echelon of the societies. All the positions are supposed to be earned through the ballot box, the choice of the people. Unfortunately the constitution provided a lacuna in section 7 (1), " the governor of a state to over look the affairs of Local Government Account" THE STATEMENT DOES NOT AMOUNT THE GOVERNORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEND THE LG FUNDS AS THEY DEEM FIT". All the governors of the Southern follow due process and allow for the election of Local Government officials and give them their fund allocations after court cases.    The situation in the Northern Nigeria States is different. The Governors don't conduct elections for the officials of Local Governments. But they appoint their stooges as caretaker committee chairmen (which has no legal provision) who dance to their tunes, merely send salaries not on time and not regularly to the skeletal LG employees. The Governors hold on to the JAAC ACCOUNT, as means of total control of the economy and politics of their respective States.  The disbandment of the JAAC ACCOUNT shall greatly empower the grass roots, Local governments, the citizens shall be in a better position to benefit from a simultaneous development of the Central, the State and the Local Government and enjoy effective monitoring by the electorates that elected officials to serve them. The state government can help in a marshaling out a plan, effective monitoring through a Commission for the Local Government and create an avenue for a feed-back system.

EXAMPLICATION: For ease of reference but with greatest dismay I shall make example of mismanagement of the Local Government funds with my own State of Bauchi. The Joint Local Government Account (JAAC) has to be systematically dealt with, in favour of direct allocation to the Local Government for such mismanagement to be halted.

At the end of the first two terms of this political dispensation (1999 – 20007) Ahmed Mu’azu of PDP was the governor of Bauchi State. The governor that succeeded him was Isa Yuguda under flag bearer ship of the ANPP, because of the bad blood that existed between the erstwhile friends as PDP members. Isa Yuguda commenced an overall financial investigations of the state of affairs, the stolen funds amounting to N19.6 billion was traced to the Joint Local Government Accounts (JAAC). Isa Yuguda reported the matter to the Authorities (EFCC) and Ahamed Mu’azu went on self exile to escape justice. But Ahmed Mu'azu subsequently returned, the case was dropped and was even nominated by Isa Yuguda to become the PDP National Chairman.

And similarly at the expiration of Isa Yuguda’s administration (2007 – 2015) the Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency Barr. MA Abubakar established both a Transition and Financial investigations committees in to the affairs of the previous eight years administration of his predecessor Isa Yuguda. The committee had reported un – accounted funds amounting to N144 billon from the Joint Local Government Account (JAAC) funds and further N104 billion as un accounted withdrawal from the security votes Account. Each of our twenty (20) Local Governments was shortchanged N1 billion by Ahamed Mu'azu and Isa Yuguda shortchanged each of the Local Governments by N 7billion.

In name of Allah S.W.T Mr Prsident plead with MA Abubakar, the Executive Governor  of Bauchi State to persue our stolen wealth from Mu' azu and Yuguda and retrieve our stolen money under whatever guise they did it.  For the use of our poor state, may Allah brave you to do so. Ameen Thumma Ameen. 
Having personally joined and participated in the campaign for APC in my Bauchi State and as well contested for the Senate seat of the Bauchi North, which I failed to get the APC nomination. And during the campaign exercise which MA Abubakar solicited my assistantace we rode on the slogan of EQUITY, JUSTICE AND CHANGE. I found it pertinent and sought the audience of His Excellency Barr. MA Abubakar three months after his swearing in as the governor of our State which he granted me. And I point blank asked His Excellency of his intentions on the Reports of the Transition Committee, and how he intended to redeem on our campaign promises to retrieve our common wealth from the previous Administrations. The governor said that he intended to proceed with what he deemed as “quite recoveries” from Isa Yuguda and his former SSG (Sallau Dandija). To that I followed up with another question what if they failed to accede to the decent means, he affirmed to me since he took his oath with the Holy Quran he will resort to the law to redress injustice. But one and half year down the line Bauchi citizens are still waiting for justice. MA Abubakar as a lawyer knows the facts that in law “justice delayed, is Justice denied”

That is why I strongly recommend the disbanding of the joint Local Government Account (JAAC) as it has proved in my state the changes of governors or parties and administrations cannot have a bearing to the manners in which the system is abused. Mr President issue a deadline for the elections of Local Governments, henceforth any state that does not comply withhold their Local Government funds. OBJ did hold on to the Local Government funds of Lagos State though for a different reason.