Presidential spokesman calls on governors to honour Supreme Court’s decision on LG independence
Bayo Onanuga, the Presidential Media Assistant, has called on governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Babagana Zulum of Borno, and other state governors to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments.
In a statement on X on Thursday, Onanuga urged the governors to comply with the verdict, which directs that all local government areas (LGAs) receive their monthly allocations directly into their accounts.
He cautioned the governors against mismanaging the financial independence granted to the local councils, emphasising the need for responsible stewardship.
“The Nigerian state governors should not see the Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to the local councils as an affront,” he said.
He added, “The governors must allow the councils to breathe and flourish again. It is in their best interest to ensure that the judgement is fully implemented in their domains.
“The local council is a very important third tier of government, and its emasculation by the governors in the last 25 years has been at the root of the poverty and insecurity we have all over our country,” Onanuga said.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday issued a directive to all state governors to refrain from interfering with funds allocated to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, deeming such control unconstitutional.
In a lawsuit based on 27 grounds, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) alleged that state governors engaged in gross misconduct and abuse of power. The AGF sought a court order to:
– Stop governors from appointing caretaker committees to manage local government areas (LGAs)
– Enforce the constitutional requirement of democratic governance in LGAs
– Restraining governors and their representatives from:
– Receiving
– Spending
– Interfering with funds meant for LGAs from the federation account.
Justice Garba Mohammed Lawal, leading a 7-member panel of Supreme Court Justices, announced the reservation of the judgment after hearing arguments from both the federal government and the state governors.
