The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) welcomes the ruling of the Supreme Court granting autonomy to local governments areas, Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, has said.
AbdulRahman made the remark while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Friday.
He was accompanied by Gov. Hope Uzodimma, Chairman, All Progressives Party (APC) Governors Forum and Dr Bala Mohammed, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum.
“Compliance is a given and our Attorney General has applied for the enrollment order, which we’ll study carefully.
“But by and large governors are happy with the devolution of power in respect of 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,” he said.
He said in his state Kwara, the government had never tampered with local government funds.
“What the local governments have to do is to manage themselves, especially with the incoming minimum wage, to manage their affairs and make sure salaries are paid, traditional rulers get their five per cent and those are the main issues,” he said.
On states where local government elections are yet to be conducted, he said the forum would meet next Wednesday to look at the issue wholly and then come up with a resolution.
He also said the discussion on minimum wage was ongoing, and that the tripartite committee had met and submitted its report.
“Yes, a movement of figures is the prerogative of the president which he will also transmit to the National Assembly for robust debate before it’s adopted,” said AbdulRahman.
LG autonomy requires accountability – Church leaders
Some church leaders, on Friday in Lagos, called for a structured accountability system in local governments to enhance grassroots development.
The leaders described as a watershed, Thursday’ Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments.
They said that accountability was, therefore, needed to make local governments responsive.
The General Overseer of the Calvary Kingdom Church, Okokomaiko, Lagos State, Archbishop Joseph Ojo, said that the judgment was landmark and would make local governments truly independent.
Ojo called for a structured accountability system to that would foster needed development at the grassroots.
“It is the real independence day for local governments if politician will not find a way of making sure it does not work.
“The constitution made provision for three tiers of government since, but it has actually been two because of the superintendence of states on LGAs, making them subservient.
“Until the people reject bad governance, nothing will work. Therefore, with the autonomy of the LGAs, the people should ensure they hold the managers accountable,” he said.
The Founder of the Holy Fountain Church in Lagos State, Babatunde Okeyomi, said that the judgment would lead to improved welfare of the people.
Okeyomi added that the judgment would strengthen the country’s democracy and make local government more viable and people-oriented.
He called on communities to ensure that local government chairmen would not enrich themselves unlawfully with public funds.
LG autonomy: LP, APC speak on Supreme Court judgement
Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have commended Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment which granted autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
The two political parties, in their separate interviews on Friday in Ibadan, saying the development would fast track development at the grassroots.
Chairman of Labour Party in the state, Sadiq Atayese, said that the autonomy was long overdue.
“Everyone who is conscious of the level of transformation that functional third tier of government could bring to the grassroots has been clamouring for its autonomy.
“The development will go a long way in ensuring that infrastructure development gets to the grassroots, hence the impacts of democratic government will be more felt.
“Local government is the closest to the people, but unfortunately, over the years, their functions have been usurped by the state government for obvious reasons, thereby stifling development at that level of government administration.
“The judgment has now given a clear direction on how the funds due to local governments from the federation account should be channeled,” he said.
Atayese expressed the hope that state governors would cooperate with the ruling in order to fast track development at the grassroots.
“The governors should remember that they have all sworn an oath to protect and defend the constitution and uphold the rule of law,” he said.
Atayese said that his party would continue to identify with the rule of law and ensure that all legal provisions aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of the masses were respected.
He also called for amendment of all necessary parts of the constitution that might be in conflict with the judgment.
Similarly, the Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Mr Olawale Sadare, said that the judiciary had, by the judgment, cleared the doubts surrounding the misinterpretation of a particular Section of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to him, some people have been leveraging that particular section to shortchange the third tier of government.
While stating that the judgment was long overdue, Sadare commended the judiciary for upholding the rule of law.
Sadare urged Federal Government to use the judgment to meet the yearnings of the people at the grassroots, through the local government councils, for accelerated growth and development of the country.
He also called on the anti-graft agencies to henceforth be on their toes and monitor how council funds would be utilised to avoid mismanagement.
The federal government had instituted a legal action against the governors of the 36 states of the federation at the Supreme Court over alleged misconduct in the local government administration.
The governors of the 36 states were sued through their respective attorneys-general.
The suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, sought full autonomy for the local government as the constitutionally-recognised third tier of government.
The federal government had argued that since the constitution recognises local governments as the third tier of government, they should be granted autonomy and allowed to draw funds directly from the federation account.
Supreme Court judgement on LG autonomy, victory for democracy – IPAC
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government financial autonomy is a victory for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, who stated this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja, called for the immediate implementation of the Apex court’s judgment on the matter.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday in a judgment granted financial autonomy to Local Governments (LGs) in the country, barring state governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of council areas.
“The judiciary has again shown that it remained the temple of justice and beacon of hope for all aggrieved people through judgment it delivered on local government autonomy,’’ he said.
He said that the judgment had restored citizens’ confidence in the judiciary as we strive to fix the nation and make it great again.
“The Federal Government’s action in instituting the suit to liberate the 774 Local Governments from the clutches of State Governors is the best decision it has taken so far.
“It is a giant step forward in revamping the economy and bolstering grassroots development across the country.
“It is unfortunate that governors who ought to have bolstered local government development in the country, chose to suffocate it by retaining and utilising funds meant for LGAs,’’ he said.
Dantalle said he was particularly happy that the apex court also held that no House of Assembly of any State has the power to make laws that could, in any manner, interfere with monies meant for the local governments.
“This is important as governors who are used to divert LGs funds for over two decades could seek ways to circumvent the apex court ruling by using State Houses of Assembly,” he said.
“IPAC has been in the vanguard for full autonomy of LGs as clearly provided for in the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“I have also sought for the abolition of the ill-conceived appointment of Caretaker Committees, an affront to the constitution,” he said.
Dantalle called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight to ensure funds released to LGs were prudently used for the good of the people.
“With this historic judgment, Nigerians expect rapid development of local government areas, as millions in terms of job creation to curb the problem of unemployment,” he said.
He urged the local government chairmen to reciprocate the gesture of the landmark judgment by ensuring judicious use of the resources allocated to their various areas.
Dantale reiterated IPAC’s call for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), saying they have proven to be incompetent and incapable of conducting free, fair and credible elections.
He said that SIECs are not only mere appendages of various government houses, but lack the capacity and requirements to conduct credible polls.
“To restore confidence in the electoral process, INEC should be empowered and mandated to conduct all Local Governments elections in Nigeria,’’ he said.