It gives me great pleasure today to give assent to 3(Three) important Laws of Lagos State namely;
- Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (Amendment) Law
- Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law
- Local Government Election Tribunal (Second Amendment) Law
The essence of law in every society is the regulation of human conduct. Upon my assumption of Office, this administration identified the need to improve on laws that impact on our lives and particularly those that are relevant to us at the Local Government level which is unarguably the most critical level of governance in the State.
It is in this vein that these laws have been amended to meet current realities.
LAGOS STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION (AMENDMENT) LAW
The purpose of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission Law is the creation of a Commission to regulate election matters.
The need to amend the Law arose as a result of current trend in the political space and to prevent a lacuna in certain instances.
Some of the highlights of the amendments include the empowering of the Commission to review the delineation of wards in each Local Government of the State at intervals of every 10 (Ten) years and division of each Local Government into not less than 10 Wards and not more than 20 Wards. Section 2 of the amendment replaces Section 5 of the Principal Law.
A new Section 62 created by the amendment provides that the Vice Chairman elected with the Chairman would be sworn in as Chairman, in the event of the death of an elected Chairman before he is sworn in as Chairman.
The amendment to the law has also been proactive as Section 64 now provides that an incumbent Chairman who wins a re-run election would have the period spent in office prior to the re-run taken into account.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION LAW
The purpose of the Local Government Administration Law is to provide for Local Government System, establishment and to regulate administration of Local authorities and other connected purposes.
One of the major highlights of this amendment is the increase of the tenure of the Chairman and the Councilors from 3 years to 4 years commencing from the date of taking oath of office.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION TRIBUNAL (SECOND AMENDMENT) LAW
The highlight of the amendment is to empower the Tribunal to enlarge the time for doing any act or taking any proceeding on such terms as the justice of the case may require, provided that the enlargement of time shall not be granted by the
Tribunal to extend the life span of a petition beyond forty- five days. Therefore, more time will now be available for consideration of election petitions.
I thank the Lagos State House of Assembly and all the Honourable legislators for their speedy consideration and passage of these laws. It clearly shows that our House of Assembly continues to be vibrant and a great pride to the good people of Lagos State.
Lastly, I want to urge Lagosians to see the passage of these laws as a further institutionalization of the Rule of Law in Lagos and a commitment of this administration to Local Government reforms. The Local Government system is crucial to our grassroot development and these new laws are a clear demonstration that this is a new golden era where the Local Government system will experience a renaissance to create prosperity and good governance for our people.
By the assent of these Bills into Law, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission is empowered to commence necessary administrative processes that will translate to the composition of the Local Government structure.
Thank you.
Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko. Lo je wa l’ogun.
Akinwunmi Ambode
Governor of Lagos State,
Alausa.
May 5, 2016.