LG Autonomy: Full List of Governors Rushing to Hold Council Elections After Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court's recent judgment has prompted at least 13 governors to schedule dates for local government elections in their states. The court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government councils and declared that the 774 local government councils should manage their funds.
The judgment was delivered in a suit filed by Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, against the 36 state governors.
Source: Twitter
The Supreme Court emphasized that the government is divided into three tiers - federal, state, and local governments - and that a state government cannot appoint a caretaker committee to administer a local government council.
The court also stated that a local government council can only be recognised with a democratically elected government and that state governments' use of caretaker committees violates the 1999 Constitution.
Below are some of the governors who have fixed dates for local government elections in their states:
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna
The Punch reported that the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) has announced that local government elections in Kaduna state will be held on October 19, 2024. The current council members were sworn into office on November 1, 2021, and their three-year tenure will end on October 31, 2024.
KAD-SIECOM organises the elections of chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and councillors in the state. The commission released the election timetable on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, and the 2024 election guidelines have also been released.
Usman Ododo of Kogi
The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission has announced that local government elections will be held across the state on October 19, 2024. The commission's chairman, Mamman Eri, made the announcement during a stakeholders' meeting in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Eri stated that the decision was in line with the provisions of the constitution and the powers vested in the state independent electoral commission. He also assured that a comprehensive timetable and schedule of activities had been prepared to ensure a transparent, fair, and credible electoral process.
Bauchi's Bala Mohammed
The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission has announced that local government elections will be held on August 19, 2024. The commission's chairman, Alhaji Ahmad Makama, made the announcement at a news conference in Bauchi on Tuesday, July 16.
Makama assured that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair elections and reiterated the commission's commitment to conducting a credible and transparent election. He encouraged citizens to come out and vote for their preferred candidates across all parties on election day.
Katsina to hold LG poll in February 2025
The Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission (KTSIEC) has announced that the state's next local government council election will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025. This marks the official start of the electoral process, with a notice period of 365 days as stipulated by law.
The chairman of KTSIEC, Alhaji Lawal Alhassan Faskari, encouraged interested candidates from registered political parties to participate in the election, provided they meet the requirements outlined in the upcoming guidelines. He added that the guidelines and official timetable will be distributed to all stakeholders.
Adeleke to hold council polls in 2025
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has stated that it is not under pressure to conduct local government elections despite the Supreme Court's recent verdict granting local government financial autonomy.
According to OSIEC chairman Hashim Abioye, the commission is proceeding with its scheduled timetable for the local government elections in February 2025.
Others are:
S/N | State | Governor's Name | LG Election Date |
1 | Enugu | Peter Mbah | October 5, 2024 |
2 | Benue | Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia | November 16, 2024 |
3 | Rivers | Siminalayi Fubara | October 5, 2024 |
4 | Jigawa | Umar Namadi | June 14, 2025 |
5 | Imo | Hope Uzodimma | September 2024 |
6 | Kebbi | Nasir Idris | August 31, 2024 |
7 | Abia | Alex Otti | No specific date |
8 | Anambra | Charles Soludo | No specific date |
El-Rufai reacts to Supreme Court judgment
Legit.ng earlier reported that the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, made a cryptic comment on the Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
El-Rufai quoted a tweet from the presidency that summarised the apex court's judgment with a terse comment saying God gives and takes.
The former governor's comment comes amid his ongoing political battle with Uba Sani, his successor in Kaduna state.
Proofreading by James Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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