This is to proudly celebrate the recent landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria reaffirming the autonomy of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria.
The Supreme Court declared it illegal and unconstitutional for state governors to continue receiving and seizing funds allocated to LGAs within their jurisdictions. This dubious practice, which has persisted for over two decades, was recognized as a clear violation of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended).
In his lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim asserted that no House of Assembly in any state has the authority to enact laws that interfere with monies designated for LGAs. Emphasizing the constitutional mandate, the Supreme Court ruled that LGAs must be governed by democratically elected officials and that funds intended for LGAs must be directly disbursed to them from the federation account.
This judgment signifies a monumental step towards the freedom of democracy and represents a victory for every household in Nigeria.
In light of this significant development, we wish to call on all civil society organisations (CSOs)to join forces with us in sustaining the rule of law and ensuring that our leaders are held accountable. It is imperative that we work collaboratively to promote good governance and enhance democratic processes at the grassroots level in Nigeria.
We urge for collaboration with civil societies, together, we can monitor and ensure the proper implementation of the Supreme Courts ruling.
Civil societies should also dvocate for, accountability i. e. actively engage in advocacy efforts to hold state governors and local government officials accountable for adhering to constitutional mandates.
They should also promote good governance:i. e. encourage and support the election of competent and democratic leaders in LGAs to foster transparency, efficiency, and development at the grassroots level.
Civil societies should also raise public awareness i. e.. educate citizens about their rights and the importance of local government autonomy to enhance community participation in governance.
Knowing fully, that the local government remains the closest tier of government to the people, good governance is the expectation of every right thinking citizen. We must see ourselves as major actors and not slaves and spectators in the drive for a prosperous citizen centered democratic setting.
Bad governance, no doubt, fuels insecurity, poverty, unemployment, civil unrest and uncontrollable rural-urban migration.
To sustain this historical autonomy, our leadership choice must be informed and transparent in order to avoid sycophancy and gross abuse of democratic dividends resulting to wastage, poverty and crimes.
The on-going merciless and looming scarcity of food in the country is significantly triggered by the consequences of dysfunctional, weak and inactive local government system which is the base of agriculture.
This Supreme Court ruling is a pivotal victory for grassroots governance in Nigeria, and together, we can ensure its successful implementation for the betterment of all Nigerians.
This is a call to action for all stakeholders to unite in the pursuit of a more democratic, accountable and transparent governance system in Nigeria. Together, we can uphold the rule of law and ensure that the benefits of democracy reach every corner of our nation.
Comr. Inyanda Emmanuel, Coordinator / Research Team Leader, YADEI Initiative
