The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has called on the 36 State governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to “immediately account for and return the local government funds which they have collected over the years”.
SERAP’s appeal came in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling yesterday that declared the practice of state governors and the FCT Minister withholding and utilising funds intended for local governments unconstitutional.
In an issued statement yesterday, signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “We applaud the Supreme Court for this ground-breaking decision which will end the persistent alleged misappropriation by several of trillions of FAAC allocations, or public funds meant for local governments.
“Following the Supreme Court judgment, there is now a clear legal precedent to hold governors and FCT Minister to account for how they have spent the local government funds collected by them”.
Oluwadare added, “Implicit in the Supreme Court judgment is the requirement for the governors and FCT Minister to immediately account for and return the funds meant for local governments but retained and used, or allegedly misused, by them. Accounting for and returning the LGA funds collected would build trust in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law.
“If the governors and FCT Minister fail to account for and return the funds meant for local governments in their states and FCT within 7 days, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel the governors and FCT Minister to comply with our requests in the public interest”.
The organisation noted that it is in the public interest for the governors and FCT Minister to account for and return the funds meant for local governments in their States and the FCT since 1999.
Recall that the Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF) Lateef Fagbemi, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking to grant full autonomy and direct funding to all 774 local government councils in the country.
The 36 State governments, represented by their attorneys general, filed a counterclaim, challenging the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to preside over the case.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Federal Government.
