EDITORIAL: Soludo’s 4th Tier Govt Is Good, But Must Not Become Another ‘21 Over 21’ Capture

By Tony Okafor

The proposal by the Anambra State Government to establish Community Administrations as a fourth tier of government is, in principle, a welcome idea. If properly designed and implemented, it could deepen grassroots governance, accelerate development and give Anambra’s communities a more meaningful role in administering their own affairs.

The proposal is particularly relevant in a state where town unions and community associations have historically played major roles in development, often mobilising resources for roads, schools, security and other projects.

But there is a major danger: political capture.

The concern, however, is that the political philosophy behind the much-discussed “21 over 21” arrangement—under which local government leadership across the state has been dominated by the ruling government, with little room for opposition parties to participate in grassroots governance—could be extended to the proposed Community Administrations.

That would defeat the very purpose of the reform.

There are about 179 communities in Anambra. If the same political dominance is extended to these communities, the proposed fourth tier could become not an instrument of grassroots democracy but another network of political control.

That must not happen.

There is no known evidence that members of the opposition lack the intelligence, competence or patriotism to participate in the governance of their communities. Political disagreement does not make a citizen incapable of contributing to society. Indeed, democracy thrives when competing ideas are allowed to participate in governance.

The proposed legislation must therefore provide safeguards against partisan capture. Community Administration leaders should derive their legitimacy from their communities, through credible and transparent processes, rather than from political patronage.

The government must also clearly define how these administrations will be constituted, funded and supervised, and how they will relate to the existing local government system and traditional institutions .

Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo deserves commendation for thinking outside the conventional governance box. But the real test will be whether he can build an institution that will remain fair even when his administration is no longer in power.

The fourth tier must not become 179 extensions of Government House.
It should be a platform where government supporters and opposition members can compete, contribute and serve according to the choice of their communities.

The reform should decentralise power, not multiply political control; democratise development, not institutionalise patronage.

If properly implemented, Community Administrations could become one of Soludo’s most enduring legacies. But if the “21 over 21” philosophy is reproduced across Anambra’s communities, a promising grassroots revolution could become merely another layer of political capture.

Anambra deserves a fourth tier that belongs to the people—not to whichever political party happens to control the state.