A socio-political group, the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG), has praised President Bola Tinubu for his pivotal role in achieving financial autonomy for Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Nigeria. The group also urged the National Assembly to legislate enabling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct local government elections.
In a landmark ruling delivered on Thursday, the Supreme Court declared that local governments should independently manage their funds without state government control. The judgment mandates the Federal Government to allocate funds directly to the 774 local government councils, reinforcing democratic structures at the grassroots level and eliminating undue influence from state governors.
Following the ruling, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, emphasized the immediate effect of the judgment, describing it as an “emancipation” for LGAs. He noted that state governors must comply with the Supreme Court verdict and warned of stipulated consequences for non-compliance.
In a statement signed by its Director General, Mr. Olumuyiwa Asagunla, and Publicity Secretary, Ayodeji Ologun, the AMG expressed appreciation for President Tinubu’s decisive actions 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 read.
The AMG urged the electorate to be mindful of the character, exposure, and capacity of individuals who would lead their respective Local Governments to ensure comprehensive development.
“With financial autonomy, Local Governments can now address the unique needs of their communities without undue interference,” AMG further stated.
The group described the judgment as “an emancipation for the people” and expressed hope that governors who have acted as “Emperors” would not continue to violate the law by unlawfully constituting Caretaker Committees, thus depriving constitutionally recognized Local Governments of federal allocations.
The AMG noted that the Supreme Court’s ruling addressed key issues, including the illegal dissolution of democratically elected local governments by governors and barring the federal government from continuing the practice of paying local government allocations through state governments due to misuse.
Finally, the AMG called on the National Assembly to enact laws empowering INEC to conduct local government elections in the 774 LGAs across Nigeria.