By: Mandy Park
The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) staged a peaceful protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday, expressing deep concern over the delay in implementing the Lagos State Local Government Administrative Law.
The law was signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on May 7, 2025.
This is as Hon. Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe Constituency I, assured that its petition will receive due attention.
The group submitted a petition to the Speaker of the House, urging immediate action to implement the law.
CHSR’s President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, signed the petition, which emphasized the need for timely implementation to ensure good governance and accountability in local government administration.
The protest was peaceful, with CHSR members voicing their opposition to the delay and calling on the Lagos State House of Assembly to take swift action to implement the law .
“While we commend the executive arm for enacting this critical law aimed at improving the framework of local governance in Lagos State, we are alarmed by the unconstitutional decision to defer its implementation until August 4, 2025, a date conveniently set after the scheduled Local Government Elections on July 12, 2025.
“This calculated delay is not only unjustifiable, but also undermines the spirit and letter of the Constitution, as well as democratic norms Lagos State has always prided itself on upholding,” CHSR noted in the petition.
According to the group, a law takes effect upon assent, saying that it is a well-established legal principle that a law becomes effective from the date of assent unless expressly stated otherwise within the law itself.
“In this case, the Administrative Law signed by the Governor carries no clause deferring its commencement. As such, any attempt to delay its implementation post-assent is legally questionable and tantamount to executive overreach.
“The delay appears engineered to protect political interests in select LGAs, notably Oto-Awori LCDA and Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, which would be directly impacted by immediate enforcement.
“Such preferential treatment erodes public trust, casts a shadow over the upcoming elections, and poses a grave threat to electoral fairness and constitutional equity.
“Allowing a law to be suspended arbitrarily for political convenience sets a dangerous precedent and may encourage future governments to subvert the legislative process to suit narrow interests. It is not only anti-democratic but also an affront to the rule of law.
“Delaying the law’s effect introduces legal ambiguity into the July 12 elections and risks post-election litigations, contestations, and instability that could further polarize the polity and tarnish the image of Lagos State as a model of good governance, the petition read.
The group then called on the Lagos State House of Assembly, “to uphold the sanctity of the legislative process by issuing a formal position affirming the law’s effective date as May 7, 2025.”
“They should demand immediate implementation of the Local Government Administrative Law without further delay.
“The House should prevent any executive action that could constitute a breach of legislative integrity and disenfranchise citizens under the guise of political strategy,” they said.
The group demanded that if the Governor insists on postponing the implementation of the Local Government Administrative Law to August 4, 2025, the forthcoming local government election should be postponed to Saturday August 30, 2025 after the implementation.
“We demand that once the tenure of the current Council Chairmen expires, let a caretaker committee be put in place to run the day to days affairs of the local Government and LCDA’s in the State.
“The CHSR remains firmly committed to the defense of constitutionalism, participatory democracy, and accountable governance.
“We urge the Honourable Speaker and the Lagos State House of Assembly not to allow political expediency to override the principles of justice, transparency, and equity.
“Failure to implement the law as duly signed is a violation of the public trust, and we shall not hesitate to escalate our advocacy to national and international levels if urgent corrective steps are not taken,” they said.
Responding on behalf of the House, Hon. Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe Constituency I, assured the group that its petition had been duly noted and would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters for attention.
“The House has received your memorandum and will look into the issues raised,” he said.
He further assured that due legislative attention will be given to the petition, and urged the protesters to continue to be peaceful.
