The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has said that securing the financial autonomy for Local Governments has been the greatest achievement of President Bola Tinubu since he assumed office in 2023.
Ndume made this known while hailing the administration of Tinubu, for initiating a court action at the Supreme Court, which has now birthed a new financial regime for Local Governments Councils across the country.
In a statement made available to journalists on Friday, Ndume described the judgment as the biggest achievement of President Tinubu so far since he assumed office in May 2023.
The Borno South lawmaker also called on Tinubu to immediately commence the implementation of the court judgment without further delay, noting that the people at the grassroots must begin to feel the impacts of good governance.
Ndume said since state governors hijacked the Local Government administration in Nigeria, by relying on a controversial section of the 1999 Constitution as amended, no meaningful development has happened at the grassroots.
He said, “This court action instituted at the behest of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the biggest of his achievements. I’m very happy about the development, and I’m hoping that this will be the beginning of the liberation of local governments in Nigeria.
“I urge the President to immediately commence the implementation of the Court judgment. Local Government Councils need to start getting their monthly allocations immediately without any further delays. The people at the grassroots levels will begin to feel the impacts of good governance now.”
Ndume added, “The National Assembly made several attempts to amend the 1999 Constitution and address this grey area. But governors didn’t allow the State Assemblies to give the constitutional concurrence. That was how the attempts failed.
“President Muhammadu Buhari also tried to intervene. Governors didn’t allow him. With this Supreme Court judgment, the issue has finally been resolved. No more unnecessary deductions from funds earmarked for local governments.
“The people can now hold the Council chairmen accountable for how they spend their monthly allocations. They’ll begin to demand true accountability and judicious use of the funds they’ll be getting. I salute the courage of President Tinubu.”
In its judgment, on Thursday, the apex court directed that local government allocations from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them, going forward.
The Supreme Court declared that it was unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for Local Government Areas.
In its lead judgment, read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the highest court in Nigeria, observed that the refusal of State Governments on financial autonomy for Local Governments has gone on for over two decades.
Justice Agim said Local Governments have since stopped receiving the money meant for them from the state governors who act in their stead.
He noted that the 774 Local Government Councils in the country should manage their funds themselves. The revered Justice dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants (state governors).
