Supreme Court’s LG autonomy judgment sparks excitement and fresh concerns. Explore the implications and diverse opinions.
The recent ruling by the Supreme Court on Thursday, July 11, which granted financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, has received widespread praise from the Nigerian populace.
This decision comes in light of concerns raised by Nigerians regarding the possibility of governors finding alternative ways to siphon council funds.
The ruling effectively reinstates the authority of local government areas nationwide by stipulating that financial allocations from the federation account must be directly channeled to them.
This move is seen as a significant step towards limiting the power of state governments to arbitrarily remove local government executives.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had previously initiated legal action against the 36 state governors, advocating for full autonomy and direct funds allocation to the local governments.
The AGF urged the apex court to intervene by withholding funds from local governments being managed by caretaker committees appointed by governors, rather than elected officials.
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Furthermore, he sought the court’s intervention in ensuring that local governments are granted full autonomy as the third tier of government in Nigeria, as outlined in the 1999 constitution.
The lawsuit was grounded on the premise that the Nigerian Constitution recognizes federal, state, and local governments as distinct tiers, each drawing funds from the federation account as mandated by the constitution.
The President General of the group, Goodluck Ibem, emphasized the return of governance to the people in accordance with the 1999 constitution, urging all governors to promptly conduct local government elections as per the Supreme Court Judgement and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He called for amendments to the constitution to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) oversees these elections, with a stipulated three-year tenure for LG Chairmen.
Additionally, Ibem urged anti-crime agencies to monitor local government allocations to prevent misuse of funds and emphasized the importance of local government chairmen being accountable to the people, not the governors.
Despite widespread commendation for the judgment, there are concerns and fears that governors may resort to subtle threats to extract money from local government chairmen, potentially undermining the purpose of the judgment.
Critics argue that if governors continue to oversee local government elections through the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), they could manipulate the process to install their allies as LG chairmen.
Some, like public affairs analyst Mr. Anthony Ugwuoke, advocate for a law that would transfer the responsibility of local government elections to INEC, to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.
Some governors may attempt to exert pressure on the LG chairman through subtle threats, but once the chairmen are familiar with the NFIU guidelines, they will be able to assert their authority and resist any attempts to intimidate them.
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, and the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, are both urging the NFIU to prepare for the challenges ahead, as they are worried that the governors may not be willing to relinquish their power without a fight.
