The Secretary General of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Mohammed Abubakar, and a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, have urged state governors to support President Bola Tinubu for the smooth implementation of local government autonomy.
They called on the governors to respect the Supreme Court judgement which granted financial autonomy to the local governments.
Their call followed the President’s remarks during the 15th National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, where Tinubu urged governors to comply with the Supreme Court ruling.
Tinubu warned that failure by the governors to honour the verdict could compel him to issue an executive order to ensure that allocations from the Federation Account are paid directly to local councils.
The President’s position stems from the July 11, 2024 judgment of the Supreme Court, which upheld the Federal Government’s suit seeking to enforce financial independence for local governments.
Speaking in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Abubakar said the apex court’s ruling left no room for ambiguity, stressing that local government funds must be paid directly to the councils.
Abubakar added that Tinubu’s public stance on the issue showed strong political will.
“The Supreme Court is very clear that the funds should be paid to the local governments directly. The President should go ahead and do the needful. We are in full support of that.
“For the President to say this openly shows that he means business. He has demonstrated that he is fully committed to the implementation of local government autonomy. All other stakeholders, including the governors, should support the position of the President and allow this to work,” he said.
Similarly, Effiong said the Supreme Court verdict must be obeyed, noting that enforcement falls within the responsibilities of the Attorney General of the Federation and the President.
“It is a Supreme Court judgment and it must be enforced. The Attorney General has the responsibility to enforce it, and the President should ensure its enforcement,” he said.
Effiong described resistance by some governors as unfortunate, adding, “It is troubling that some governors show no regard for the democratic process. The position of the Supreme Court is clear and the governors should comply with its decision.”
