The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, yesterday, said he had no cause to regret seeking full autonomy for the 774 local councils in the country.
Fagbemi, who stated this during the commissioning of the Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu Bar Centre Annex in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, said: “I proposed and I have no regret about it that the conduct of local council election should not be left with the states’ electoral commissions even though it is recognised by the constitution, but if you look at the way the conduct of the elections has been going, you will agree with me that we have to have a rethink.”
The minister stressed the importance of grassroots governance for the welfare of the common man, noting that “every politics is local and it starts from the council level.”
He, therefore, called for a change in focus towards grassroots-level involvement and urged for a reconsideration of the existing electoral process for the benefit of local communities.
Fagbemi, while reflecting on the late Akeredolu’s legacy, commended his contributions to both the legal profession and humanity, acknowledging that Akeredolu’s impact transcended every aspect of his life.
He urged lawyers and individuals to draw inspiration from Akeredolu’s leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing societal progress.
Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan branch, Folashade Aladeniyi, expressed the association’s decision to honour their late Patron, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for his exceptional contributions and impacts on the legal profession.
She said that the newly-commissioned building named after Akeredolu symbolises the collective efforts of the association to promote legal excellence, protect human rights, and uphold the integrity of the legal profession.
Aladeniyi, therefore, pledged the association’s commitment to utilising the building as a tool for advancing the cause of justice, human rights and promoting access to justice for all Nigerians.
