Olukoyede: EFCC will scrutinise activities of LGA bosses, it won’t be business as usual

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says the anti-graft agency will scrutinise the activities of LGA administrations.

Olukoyede spoke in Abuja on Monday at a dialogue organised by Agora Policy, a think tank, on deepening accountability, democracy, and good governance in Nigeria’s 774 LGAs.

The dialogue follows the ruling of the supreme court which granted financial autonomy to local councils.

The apex court verdict affirmed that it is illegal for LGAs to be run by caretaker committees appointed by state governors.

Olukoyede, represented by Friday Ebelo, EFCC director and coordinator of special duties, said good governance encompasses three essential elements — accountability, transparency, and citizen participation.

He said “solid and development-minded people are needed to man the local government administrations” for those elements to be effective.

“It is on this note that the EFCC served a notice to the local government administrations that it will not be business as usual. Their activities will be scrutinised,” he added.

“We’ll make a deliberate effort to bring the presence of government to our people at the local government level.”

Waziri Adio, founder of Agora Policy, said LGAs in Nigeria are the least trusted tier of government despite being responsible for resource mobilisation, their regulatory functions, and serving as the frontline of security.

“The lack of interest in local governance is evident as many citizens are unaware of their councillors’ identities and prefer working at federal or state levels over LGAs,” Adio said.

“This disinterest contributes to the ineffective functioning of LGAs, which are critical to making Nigeria work optimally.

“To reform LGAs, accountability is crucial. This involves horizontal, vertical, and diagonal accountability mechanisms, ensuring that representatives serve the people, not themselves.

“Getting local governments to work optimally is central to making Nigeria work optimally.

“The local government level of government is where you should experience and feel the presence and essence of government the most. The federal government and state government are very important, but the local government is the most important.”

Adio said Nigeria should experiment with direct democracy to enhance citizens’ involvement and deepen democracy at the local level.

He said Nigeria could address the systemic issues of representative democracy and foster a more responsive and effective local government system.

On his part, Kole Shettima, Africa director of the MacArthur Foundation, said the journey towards effective local governance in Nigeria was hindered by a complex interplay of education, policy discourse, and local versus federal dynamics.

Shettima said many people perceive local government positions as lucrative, often requiring minimal qualifications compared to federal roles.

“Moreover, the lack of platforms for policy discussions is a significant hurdle in addressing governance challenges,” he said.

“Unlike in systems like the US, where professionals can fluidly transition between roles in academia, consulting, and government, Nigeria’s policy environment lacks such flexibility.

“While the challenges are deep-rooted, there is a hope that platforms for policy discussion and community-driven projects can drive positive change in Nigeria’s local governance landscape.”