LG Autonomy: 36 Governors Warned Over Supreme Court Judgment

LG Autonomy: 36 Governors Warned Over Supreme Court Judgment

  • The 36 Nigerian governors under the umbrella of the Nigerian Governors Forum have been warned against undermining the Supreme Court verdict on local government autonomy
  • NULGE, in a statement on Thursday, November 7, raised the allegation that some of the governors are not ready to comply with the Supreme Court judgment
  • The group warned that any attempt to downplay the judgment on the local government autonomy would be faced with stiff restriction

The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has issued a stern warning to state governors who are attempting to undermine the Supreme Court's judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments. This move comes after the Supreme Court ruled on July 11, 2024, that it's unconstitutional for governors to withhold funds allocated to the 774 local government areas (LGAs).

The Supreme Court's verdict was clear: governors cannot dissolve democratically elected local government councils, as this violates the 1999 Constitution. This ruling is a significant victory for local government autonomy in Nigeria. However, NULGE alleged that some governors were trying to circumvent the apex court ruling.

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NULGE warned governors against working against the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.
NULGE warned governors against Supreme Court judgment Photo Credit: @officilABAT
Source: Twitter

LG autonomy: NULGE explains stance on governors' actions

According to Vanguard, NULGE's stance is that the governors' actions are unacceptable and would be met with resistance. The union urges the federal government to ensure that the judgment is implemented and local governments receive their allocated funds directly. This would enable them to function effectively and provide essential services to their communities.

The financial autonomy granted to local governments is expected to boost their ability to manage their affairs independently. With direct funding, local governments can prioritize projects and programs that benefit their residents rather than relying on state governors' approval. This shift in power dynamics is likely to reduce the governors' influence over local government affairs.

As the situation unfolds, NULGE has promised to closely monitor the governors' actions. The union's warning serves as a reminder that the Supreme Court's judgment must be respected, and any attempts to undermine it will face opposition.

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LG autonomy: Lagos assembly to scrap LCDA

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Lagos state House of Assembly is considering scrapping the LCDAs created in 2003 by President Bola Tinubu when he was governor.

The new proposed bill to amend the state's local government law would recreate the LCDAs into administrative areas.

Bisi Afolabi, a legal practitioner who spoke with Legit.ng on the development, said the Nigerian constitution did not recognise the LCDAs.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Bada Yusuf avatar

Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished writer with 7 years of experience in journalism and writing, he is also politics and current affairs editor with Legit.ng. He holds B.A in Literature from OAU, and Diploma in Mass Comm. He has obtained certificates in Google's Advance Digital Reporting, News Lab workshop. He previously worked as an Editor with OperaNews. Legit’s Best Editor of the Year for Politics and Current Affairs Desk (2023). Contact: bada.yusuf.amoo@corp.legit.ng