The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have called on the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to monitor council funds closely to prevent their diversion to state governors by council chairmen.
ALGON also pledged to leverage their financial autonomy to address issues like insecurity and poor road infrastructure at the grassroots level, aiming to ensure that people in rural areas benefit more from democratic governance.
In recent months, there have been increased calls for local government autonomy in Nigeria, supported by President Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders. Currently, the Federal Government receives 52.68% of the country’s monthly revenue, states get 26.72%, and local governments receive 20.60%, allocated by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and disbursed by the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
In May, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, filed a suit against the 36 state governors on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking full autonomy for local governments. The suit, based on 27 grounds, argued that Nigeria is governed by the 1999 Constitution.
The Attorneys-General of the 36 states objected to this suit. However, on July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional for state governors to withhold funds allocated to local governments. The seven-man panel, led by Justice Emmanuel Agim, ruled that the 774 local government councils in Nigeria should manage their funds independently.
NULGE President Akeem Ambali welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict and urged adherence to the NFIU guidelines to prevent fund diversion. Ambali noted that those who misappropriated funds or opposed democratic principles would be unhappy with the verdict, but most Nigerians are pleased with this landmark decision.
Ambali emphasized that local government autonomy would transform governance at the grassroots level, reducing poverty, frustration, insecurity, and joblessness. He highlighted the importance of NFIU guidelines to prevent fund diversion and criticized the illegality of caretaker committees running local governments. With the Supreme Court’s judgment, governors no longer have the power to dismiss democratically elected local officials.
ALGON National President Aminu Muazu-Maifata expressed happiness with the Supreme Court verdict and assured that council chairmen would utilize this autonomy to address grassroots issues, including lack of amenities and security. He promised that council chairmen would not disappoint Nigerians and would meet their expectations.
The APC in Anambra State also praised the judgment, noting that it would end the systematic pilferage of local government funds, which had been a significant issue in the state. The Northern Elders Forum, led by Professor Ango Abdullahi, lauded the Supreme Court’s decision, seeing it as a step toward grassroots development.
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) urged Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo to respect the Supreme Court judgment. The PDP and Labour Party also hailed the judiciary, describing the judgment as a victory for democracy and grassroots development.
Local governments in various states, including Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Gombe, Zamfara, and Bauchi, are preparing to conduct local government elections or are studying the judgment to take necessary actions.
Overall, the Supreme Court’s judgment is seen as a significant step towards enhancing local government autonomy and ensuring more effective governance at the grassroots level in Nigeria.
Source: Punch