An Assessment of the Overall Selected Methods and Practices of Local Government Administration in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assess the overall selected method and practices of local government administration in Cross River State during Professor Ben Ayade first tenure administration, 2015-2019, the constitutional framework that governed the nomination of the council of local government executives and the impact on local government administration and the state as a whole. The study employs quantitative research methods. The data for the study was collected via online questionnaire at different political platforms of different local government in Cross River State, Nigeria. The population for the study comprised respondents from nine (9) local governments areas in Cross River State namely; Ikom, Obanliku, Obubra, Obudu, Odukpani, Ogoja, Abi, Akamkpa and Calabar South local government areas. The survey was made available to 360 respondents. 40 respondents are selected from each LGAs under study. Stratified random sampling complimented by purposeful sampling was used as sampling techniques. The findings of the research shows that the selected methods and practices of the selection was by appointment and not by election as it was constitutionally common to the democratic era; the constitutional framework that governed the nomination of the council of local government executives was the unconstitutional means of godfatherism; and the impact of the administration on local government administration and the state as a whole was negative. The study concludes that the responsibilities of the LGAs administrators have not been fulfilled to the people's satisfaction since the constituted council was loyal to their godfather and not responsible to their citizens. The study gave several recommendations including the facts that elections should be held for the local government executive council rather than appointments; in order to create steady and durable growth, people must vow to combat political process manipulation; there must be an unwavering opposition to the installation of pseudo-leaders in the state's local government areas and the godfather culture should be fully eliminated.