N’assembly will enforce s’court verdict on LG autonomy, says Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the national assembly will enforce the supreme court verdict granting financial autonomy to the LGAs. 

The apex court held that the federal government should henceforth pay allocations directly to local government councils from the federation account.

The court also said the federal government could withhold allocations of LGs governed by unelected officials.

Speaking with reporters at the presidential villa on Thursday, Akpabio said the verdict will make real elections to take place at the LG level.

“It is a great thing that the supreme court has done the needful and now we have to go back and think, working with the AGF’s office and the parliament to see how we can ensure that there is real election at the LG levels,” the senate president said.

“I think once that is done, everybody will have confidence.

“This is progress for democracy and that is how it should be. So, we congratulate the justices of the supreme court and we in the parliament are determined to make sure there’s enforceability.”

Akpabio also commended the President Bola Tinubu administration for taking the matter to the apex court.

“Recall that the request was placed before the courts by the AGF because the FG, through President Bola Tinubu, feels strongly about separation of powers and the need for autonomy of all arms of government,” he added.

“And so for us in the legislature, the supreme court has spoken and we have no option than to abide by the supreme court ruling.

“So, I will just call on all states of the federation to respect what the supreme court has done and then we will go back to the legislature and see where we can dot the i’s and cross the t’s to ensure the full implementation.

“Because you know the words of the supreme court are like the words of the king. They cannot go down to the ground without implementation.

“So I think this is a great day for democracy, and I congratulate the president for this initiative.

“And I know that all Nigerians now know that local government administration is an arm of government meant for the grassroots and their money should be for the grassroots.

“And definitely, local governments can now undertake projects on their own. So it’s a great day for democracy and it is the beginning of great things to come.

“I have not seen the judgment. I will study the judgment. But at the same time I believe they should be impartial elections at the local government level so that all the political parties can participate.

“At the moment, there’s a lot of lethargy and nonchalance by many political parties whose parties are not in power at the state level. They hardly partake in local government elections because of the perceived bandwagon effect and all that.”

Also reacting to the ruling, Tajudeen Abass, speaker of the house of representatives, said autonomy for the LGs is an issue that has been before the national assembly for many years.

“This is an issue that has been before the parliament for the past 20 years. All the constitutional amendments that were so far carried by the national assembly, one aspect of it has always been local government autonomy. How do you make the local government work independently?” he said.

“Today, that impossibility became a reality. Everyone is happy and we are looking forward to an LGA that will work functionally and that will be able to work on their own and extend goodwill to their own people undisturbed by the excesses of the state governors.”

Athan Achonu, a former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, said state electoral commissions should be scrapped.

“This victory will not be complete without the scrapping of state electoral commissions,” he said.

“Therefore, I call on organised labor, student groups, and youth organisations to engage and possibly pressure all the state houses of assembly until they ratify the amendment.

“This is crucial for the realisation of true local government autonomy and for ensuring that local elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.”