A pro-local government autonomy group, the Human Rights and Judgment Enforcement Advocates has threatened to mobilise Nigerians for a nationwide mass protest against state governors for non-compliance to the Supreme Court LG financial autonomy judgment.
Chairman of the group, Alhaji Alfa Muhammed made this know at the NUJ Press Center in Minna while speaking to select newsmen yesterday.
He stated that, one year after the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy and fixed tenure for local government chairman, the governors have flagrantly disobeyed the landmark court judgment.
Muhammed said, “In commemoration of the first anniversary of the landmark Court judgment, the Governors are yet to comply
“We are launching a nationwide campaign to cause the Governors to fully enforce the judgment Granting autonomy to local government councils in Nigeria”.
The Human rights and judgment enforcement advocates Chairman noted that, despite the learned justices of the Supreme Court relying on section 162 (3) and (5) clearly ordered that the credit of the local government councils in the Federation account should henceforth be distributed to them and be paid directly to them.
“The question now is how many state government have allowed this to happen, 12 months after the judgment”
He also explained that the electoral Act of 2022 overrides any state law on matters on the concurrent legislative list which empowers all councilors and Chairmen to hold office for four years.
“Hence any state law, including that of Niger State which stipulate a three year tenure for councilors and Chairmen would be contravening various federal enactment if allowed to stay
He added, “Let me make it clear to Niger State to suspend the planned LG polls for November, any election held before the expiration of full 4 year tenure of the incumbent council executives would be unconstitutional, null and void “.
According to him, despite the massive funds that have been standing in the credit of the local government councils since the inception of the Bola Tinubu administration and the progress being recorded in the economic reforms at macro-economic sector, poverty and insecurity persist at the grassroots.
Alhaji Mohammed attributed this to the non-implementation of the Supreme Court judgment Granting financial autonomy to the councils by Governors.
“The consensus of opinion among economic experts is that the situation is largely due to the State Governors’ control over local government finances and administration
“For the past 25yrs Governors have stifled local government councils capacity to function effectively by appropriating funds meant for the local government councils from the Federation account.”
Alhaji Mohammed explained that, from verifiable data, local government councils gets just about 30% from Governors from the Federation account under the quise of joint account thereby withholding a significant portion making LGA s to record any impactful achievements throughout their tenure.
“This situation has led to incapacity to render their statutory services, such as construction of markets, health centres, insecurity, which local government are better placed to address, but lack resources.”
The group vowed to mobilise Nigerians for a nationwide mass show down with the Governors while the head to court for more clarity on the judgment since the Governors are determined to circumvent justice.