LG autonomy: Group hails Tinubu, wants INEC to conduct polls

A socio-political group, Asiwaju Mandate Group, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his role in securing financial autonomy for Local Government Areas across the country.

The group also urged the National Assembly to come up with laws that could enable the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct local government elections.

In a landmark ruling delivered on Thursday, the Supreme Court declared that Local Governments should independently manage their funds, free from state government control.

The judgment ordered the Federal Government to allocate funds directly to the 774 local government councils, reinforcing the democratic structure at the grassroots level and eliminating the undue influence of State Governors.

Following the ruling, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, emphasised that the judgment takes immediate effect, describing it as an “emancipation” for Local Government Areas from the shackles of the past.”

He noted that the responsibility now lies with state governors to comply with the Supreme Court verdict.

He warned that there are stipulated consequences for non-compliance to the court directives.

Commenting on the development in a statement signed by its Director General, Mr Olumuyiwa Asagunla, and the Publicity Secretary, Ayodeji Ologun, obtained in Osogbo on Friday, the group expressed its appreciation for the decisive actions taken by President Tinubu on the matter.

“This ruling is a significant victory for democracy and local governance. We commend President Bola Tinubu and Attorney General Fagbemi for their unwavering commitment to upholding the constitution and ensuring that Local Governments can operate independently and effectively,”‘ the statement reads.

AMG however urged the electorate to be mindful of the character, exposure and capacity of such a person who would be at the helm of affairs in their respective Local Governments to ensure all-round development.

“With financial autonomy, Local Governments can now address the unique needs of their communities without undue interference,” AMG further said.

It described the judgment as “an emancipation for the people and hope that most of the governors who have practically turned themselves into some sort of Emperors will not continue to err on the part of the law by the unlawful constitution of Caretaker Committees thereby depriving the constitutionally recognised Local Government from the federal allocations due to them as this will amount to undue ripping off of the local government system.”

The group further noted that the Supreme Court’s ruling addressed several key issues, including the dissolution of democratically elected local governments by governors as illegal, and barring the federal government from continuing the practice of paying local government allocations through state governments due to misuse.

AMG also call on the “National Assembly to enact laws empowering Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct Local government elections in the 774 LGs across Nigeria.”