Governors Applauds Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has lauded the Supreme Court’s recent verdict affirming the financial autonomy of local governments across the country.
The NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRazak AbdulRahman, shared this sentiment with State House Correspondents following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
Governor AbdulRahman emphasized that the ruling, which devolves power to the third tier of government, significantly reduces the burden on state governors.
“We welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court, compliance is given, and our Attorney Generals have applied for the enrollment order, which we’ll study carefully. Governors are happy with the devolution of power in respect to local government autonomy. It relieves the burden on governors,” he stated.
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, declared it unconstitutional for state governors to control funds allocated to local governments. The seven-man panel, led by Justice Emmanuel Agim, ruled that the 774 local government councils should manage their funds independently.
The court also stated that only democratically elected local government councils are legitimate, rendering state-appointed caretaker committees invalid.
In response to the ruling, civil rights activist and senior lawyer, Chief Femi Falana, hailed the decision as a boost for accountability at the grassroots level.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Falana called for proper elections into local governments, stressing that the ruling mandates transparency and governance at the local level.
Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, praised President Tinubu for initiating the action at the Supreme Court, describing it as a significant step towards liberating local governments. Ndume urged immediate implementation of the court’s decision to ensure that local governments begin receiving their allocations directly.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also commended the judgment. ADC National Chairman, Dr. Ralphs Okey Nwosu, emphasized the importance of financial autonomy for grassroots development and urged the governors to conduct local government elections promptly.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State expressed that the ruling does not pose an issue for his state, as Oyo has consistently conducted local government elections.
Similarly, Governor AbdulRahman assured that Kwara State has never interfered with local government funds and will continue to uphold this practice.
The Supreme Court ruling has sparked calls for proper local government elections across the country. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to dissolve caretaker committees and comply with the court’s decision.
