PDP, APC Clash Over Supreme Court Judgment on Local Government Autonomy
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have engaged in a war of words following the recent Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments across Nigeria.
The decision, handed down on July 11 by Justice Emmanuel Agim, prohibits state governments from controlling funds meant for the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and from appointing caretaker committees, thereby reinforcing the financial independence of local governments.
During a world press conference in Abuja on Sunday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, voiced the party’s reservations regarding the judgment, labeling it a potential “recipe for trouble.”
Ologunagba suggested that the ruling could lead to increased corruption and manipulation at the local level if not properly managed.
He emphasized that reforms to local government administration should involve state governors, who, according to him, are better positioned to understand and address the needs of the local populace.
“The concern is very clear,” Ologunagba stated. “Local governments are closely related to state governments because they are nearer to the people. If there are reforms to be made, they should be done in conjunction with the governors, not by the fiat of the Federal Government.”
Ologunagba also warned that the PDP is reviewing the Supreme Court judgment with a view to taking further action, arguing that state governments should continue to play a substantial role in local government administration.
However, the ruling APC swiftly countered the PDP’s position, with its National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissing the opposition’s concerns as “preposterous” and an “afterthought.”
Ibrahim criticized the PDP for questioning a decision of the Supreme Court, which he described as final and binding.
“Even as a layman in law, I know that once the Supreme Court has decided a matter, it is the ultimate,” Ibrahim said. “This is to tell you that the PDP, notwithstanding that it is in the opposition, is a party that wants to perpetuate corruption.”
Ibrahim further accused the PDP of opposing the empowerment of local governments and attempting to maintain the status quo, which, according to him, has hindered the delivery of democratic dividends to the grassroots.
“The local government is the closest government to the people,” Ibrahim asserted. “These local governments have been given the powers to discharge their duty in a manner that will give dividends to the people, and you are saying no.”
The Supreme Court’s judgment has sparked a nationwide debate on the future of local government administration in Nigeria.
While some see it as a necessary step toward true federalism and grassroots development, others, like the PDP, warn of potential pitfalls if state governments are sidelined in the process.
