Local Government Autonomy: Mixed Reactions Over Supreme Court's Ruling

By Our Reporter

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the recent ruling by the apex court of the land, to grant fiscal autonomy to the local government areas, thereby devolving power from the state governors, among others

While many describe the judgment as a landmark injunction and a win for democracy; others perceive it as a severe setback on the principles of federalism.

Recall that on Thursday, the Supreme Court had ruled in a case brought before it by the federal government, given financial autonomy to the local government areas, ordering that henceforth, all allocations must be disbursed directly to them as against the previous practice of crediting it into the now ‘unlawful’ joint account created by the governors. By this pronouncement, thus restraining the governors from tampering, collecting or withholding local governments’ funds as was the case before now.

President Bola Tinubu hailed the ruling adding that it will afford Nigerians living at the rural level to benefit from people oriented service delivery.

Even the governors surprisingly welcomed the judgment , adding that it has moved a whole load off their shoulders, as the local government chairmen will now have to contend with paying salaries of their staff, and that of the traditional rulers as well as other sundry work that the state had done prior to the ruling.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and Governor of Kwara, AbdulRazaq

Abdul Rahman, on Friday said that the state governors are happy with the Supreme Court judgment that granted fiscal autonomy to local government areas.

Asked for his reaction to the apex court’s judgement, the NGF boss said: “We welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court, compliance is a given and our Attorney Generals have applied for the enrollment order, which we’ll study carefully.

“But by and large governors are happy with the devolution of power in respect to local government autonomy. It relieves the burden on governors.

“Our people really don’t know how much states expense in bailing out local governments, and that’s the issue there.”

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar expressed support for the ruling saying, “I align with the decision of the Supreme Court that the structure of the Nigerian government is portioned in three layers”, adding that the local government should be the center of development.

Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) described the judgement as a milestone that will free the local governments from the undue influences of the governors.

Agbakoba said, “It’s a landmark decision that frees the constitutionally prescribed local government from the stranglehold of their state governors. One can only hope that the financial autonomy granted to local governments will be used to benefit the communities.”

However, the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, held a different view that the Supreme Court Judgment hinders the principles of federalism.

“Supreme Court has dealt a severe setback on the principles of federalism as defined by section 162(3) of the 1999 constitution (as amended)`”, Ibori reportedly wrote in his “X” handle.

The former governor of Delta State further argued that the federal government, under the 1999 constitution had no right to interfere with the administration of local governments under any guise whatsoever, stressing that there are only two tiers of government in a federal system of government and not three as is being alluded.

Despite the controversy, some state governors are already complying with the orders. Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, immediately after the ruling invited the state commissioner of justice for a full interpretation of the ruling.

Other governors have shown willingness to abide by the orders, happy obviously with the trimmed down responsibilities that they have to bear.

Local Government Autonomy: Mixed Reactions Over Supreme Court’s Ruling

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