The Supreme Court of Nigeria on July 11, 2024 delivered a landmark judgment affirming the financial autonomy of the country's 774 Local Government Councils.
This decision was a pivotal step towards granting local governments the ability to manage their finances independently, collect revenues, and allocate resources without interference from state governments.
The ruling aimed to empower local public administration authorities with sufficient freedom to manage local affairs, thereby reducing the central government's involvement in issues closely related to local communities.
In response to this judgment, the Nigerian Senate has expressed its full support for the Supreme Court's decision. On October 9, 2024, during a plenary session, the Senate urged all three tiers of government to comply with the ruling.
The Senate resolved to collaborate with the House of Representatives to amend specific provisions of the 1999 Constitution to ensure the effective implementation of local government autonomy. These resolutions were driven by motions sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, and seconded by Senators Abdul Ningi and Tahir Monguno.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized the importance of amending the constitution to guarantee the full implementation of the Supreme Court's ruling.
He stated, "The Senate, under my leadership, will amend the constitution to guarantee that the judgment is fully implemented, without any loopholes for manipulation." Akpabio also acknowledged President Bola Tinubu's efforts in initiating steps towards granting local government autonomy through the intervention of the Supreme Court.
Despite the Senate's support, challenges regarding the enforceability of the Supreme Court judgment at the state and local government levels have been encountered.
Some state governors have been accused of enacting laws to mandate local government councils to remit funds into the State/Local Government Joint Account, which contradicts the Supreme Court's ruling. In light of these challenges, the Senate held an emergency closed-door session to address the issue and ensure compliance with the judgment.
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