Abuja, Nigeria – The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has commended President Bola Tinubu for securing financial autonomy for Local Governments, describing it as his greatest achievement since assuming office in May 2023.
Ndume praised the Tinubu administration for initiating a court action at the Supreme Court, which resulted in a new financial regime for Local Government Councils across the country. In a statement released on Friday, Ndume lauded the Supreme Court judgment, calling for its immediate implementation to benefit grassroots governance.
Ndume emphasized the significance of the judgment, noting that state governors had previously hindered Local Government administration by exploiting a controversial section of the 1999 Constitution. He remarked, “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.”
He urged President Tinubu to implement the Court judgment without delay, allowing Local Government Councils to receive their monthly allocations directly. “The people at the grassroots levels will begin to feel the impacts of good governance now,” Ndume stated.
Ndume also highlighted previous failed attempts by the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to secure Local Government autonomy, blaming state governors for blocking these efforts. He acknowledged the persistence of President Muhammadu Buhari, who also faced opposition from governors.
The Supreme Court’s ruling, delivered on Thursday, declared that Local Government allocations from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them, deeming it unconstitutional for state governors to withhold these funds. In the lead judgment read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the court noted that state governments’ refusal to grant financial autonomy to Local Governments had persisted for over two decades.
Justice Agim emphasized that the 774 Local Government Councils in the country should manage their funds independently and dismissed the preliminary objections of the defendants (state governors).
Ndume concluded by expressing optimism that this judgment would lead to greater accountability and judicious use of funds by Local Government Councils, stating, “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.”