Senate Chief Whip and Senator representing Borno South Ali Ndume, has applauded the Supreme Court judgment which directed State Governors to hand off statutory allocation for local councils in their respective states.
The apex court had on Thursday in an unanimous judgment upheld the suit brought by the federal government to strengthen the independence of local governments in the country.
Emmanuel Agim, who delivered the court’s lead judgment, held that the local governments across the country should, from Thursday, receive their allocations directly from the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The apex court ruled that it is illegal and unconstitutional for governors to receive and withhold funds allocated to local government areas (LGAs) in their states.
The Senate Chief Whip in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for initiating the suit which he noted has now freed the local councils from the stranglehold of their governors.
Ndume who recalled past attempts by the federal Parliament to correct the breach of constitutional provisions by successive governors described the landmark judgment as the biggest achievement of the present administration.
While advising President Tinubu to push for immediate enforcement of the judgment he also noted that with the development, people at the grassroots can now hold their council chairmen responsible for lack of performance.
The statement he personally signed reads in part: “This court action instituted at the behest of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the biggest achievement of his achievement. 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.
“I urge the President to immediately commence the implementation of the Court judgment. Local Government Councils need to start getting their monthly allocations immediately without any further delays. The people at the grassroots levels will begin to feel the impacts of good governance now.
“The National Assembly made several attempts to amend the 1999 Constitution and address this grey area. But governors didn’t allow the State Assemblies to give the constitutional concurrence. That was how the attempts failed.
“President Muhammadu Buhari also tried to intervene. Governors didn’t allow him. With this Supreme Court judgment, the issue has finally been resolved. No more unnecessary deductions from funds earmarked for local governments.
“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.”
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