LG autonomy Tinubu’s biggest achievement so far — Ndume

LG autonomy Tinubu’s biggest achievement so far — Ndume

 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).

Source: LG autonomy Tinubu’s biggest achievement so far — Ndume

 - NigerianEye
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